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By any metric, the twentieth century university was a successful institution. However, in the twenty-first century, ongoing neoliberal educational reform has been accompanied by a growing epistemological crisis in the meaning and value of the humanities and social sciences (HaSS). Concerns have been expressed in two main forms. The governors of tertiary education systems--governments, private investors, university managers and consultancy firms--have focused on how HaSS can adapt to the perceived research needs of the 21st century. At the same time, a competing set of discourses has been generated by scholars and researchers employed within the critical HaSS themselves. This article considers what these differing perspectives mean for reconceptualising HaSS for the twenty-first century. After surveying the contemporary climate, this article examines the findings of key reports on the future of the humanities from the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. Alongside those of Western Europe, these university systems are arguably the key drivers for the global university system. It is argued that these reports provide an opportunity for emerging universities to reflect on their research priorities and developmental strategies. The article concludes with some reflections on the wider consequences of the globalising of the university system, the increase of China's influence in Asia, and ponders the prospect of post-human/ist futures of the humanities.

Background: Diabetes self-management education (DSME) is generally considered to be a key determinant of the treatment outcomes and related costs of diabetes mellitus. While DSME programmes generally have positive outcomes, their effects may depend on certain factors, such as the type of programmes provided and patients' level of health literacy (HL). Low HL has been associated with poorer self-management behaviours and poor medication adherence in diabetic patients, but its impact on the effects of DSME has not yet been systematically investigated. This study aimed to investigate the influence of HL on the self-reported effects of DSME programmes while taking the type of programme into consideration. Method: A total of 366 diabetic patients from nine countries completed a questionnaire measuring HL, self-management behaviours, problem perception, coping, perceived general health and well-being, before and after participating in a DSME programme. Results: DSME programmes were found to have positive effects on self-reported self-management behaviours and almost all psychological and health outcomes, regardless of HL level. Patients with high HL scored better on several diabetes outcomes than those with low HL, but all patients described benefiting from DSME. Individual and group-based programmes resulted in more positive effects on several diabetes outcomes than self-help groups, but no interaction with HL was found. Conclusion: Our findings confirm those of previous studies showing that DSME programmes have positive effects and that low HL is associated with lower diabetes outcomes but do not support the assumption that the effects of DSME programmes are influenced by the patient's HL. However, due to the limitations of this study, further investigation is necessary to support these findings and improve our understanding about the impact of HL on DSME programmes' effectiveness.

This article focuses on a significant group of postgraduate international students overlooked by institutions and policymakers, namely those with accompanying partners and children. The economic importance of international students to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America is highlighted. It is argued that an outdated construction of the international student as young and carefree contributes to the pattern of invisibility apparent in data collection systems and in the research literature. Drawing on the NAFSA formula, estimates are calculated for numbers of accompanying family members for five selected countries, and then immigration, education, and health policies pertaining to family members are examined.

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that transfer ability (positive and negative) varies depending on the nature of the problems, using the knowledge transfer matrix, as well as being dependent on the individual differences of the learner. A total of 178 participants from the United States and New Zealand completed measures of prior knowledge, pattern recognition, a positive transfer problem, and a negative transfer problem. Nearly 11% of participants could not successfully solve the base problem after the initial learning phase. The problem condition was a significant predictor of positive transfer success, while no significant differences were found for negative transfer, although, there was ample evidence of negative transfer. Furthermore, prior knowledge was only a significant predictor for problems in which the structural features between the problems were different. Future directions are discussed in regard to the initial learning phase, differences in transfer success, and the need for measures of negative transfer.

It has long been recognized that engineers need a variety of skills, including technical and social, to succeed professionally. Attempts to include social skills (i.e., communication, teamwork, and leadership) in engineering education are relatively recent (i.e., within the last decade). Thus, the current study investigates whether social goals influence academic and social outcomes. Four hundred and three high-school aged "FIRST" robotics participants (262 male; 146 female; 22 not specified) completed a survey about their experiences in "FIRST." Prior to completing the survey, participants learned that an important goal of "FIRST" was a) social networking, b) academic learning, or c) no goal. Academic and social outcomes were assessed at the beginning and end of the season, but the goal instructions were administered only at the beginning of the season. The findings show that the goals promoted can dramatically influence social and academic outcomes. The implications this has for engineering programs are discussed.

Should remediation in higher education be ended? A recent report from Complete College America says exactly that. The authors call for all public institutions of higher education in the United States to stop offering it and instead ensure that students who need extra help take co-requisite requirements, such as extra tutoring. Their recommendations are based on several research findings. The author reviews studies that estimate the impact of remediation on graduation. The author argues that eliminating remediation because many students don't succeed is similar to not performing CPR because so few people are successfully revived. The solution to this problem won't come from a blanket solution like eliminating all developmental coursework. While research is needed to understand the best way to provide students who arrive at college with the skills they need to succeed, simply eliminating remediation because many students don't succeed is likely to result in a further reduction in both access and success. (Contains 3 figures and 7 resources.)

The contention of this article is that the potentially productive developmental learning experience of the transition which young people in secondary school make between concurrent vocational and academic courses is largely unrecognised and thus unexploited. To support this contention, and to suggest a more productive way forward, understandings of, and attitudes towards, vocational learning and the rationales behind them are analysed. Following on from this, findings are presented from three related empirical studies on the experiences of young people, and their teachers, as they transition between vocational and academic courses. The findings are then conceptualised through the lens of theoretical approaches which privilege and highlight the importance of supported developmental learning, as distinct from the current focus on societal and policy rationales. Particular attention is paid to Beach's notion of "consequential transitions". The article concludes with an outline of the opportunities that an approach based on symbiosis between vocational and academic learning can offer for the improved acquisition of skills, knowledge and understanding by young people. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)

Family literacy programs in North America and the United Kingdom have enjoyed widespread public and political support. Thousands of initiatives following a variety of models currently operate under the spectrum of family literacy programs. In this paper, the influence of learning theories, the research on children's early literacy development, and the sociopolitical context with gave rise to the intervention movement, will be reviewed with respect to their impact on current models of family literacy programs. The research on program evaluation is also considered, and is related to current practice and future directions in family literacy programming.

This article examines the trend of faculty retirement in the United States. Much of the concern about aging faculty has centered on the twin concerns of lifetime employment in the form of tenure and the lack of a mandatory retirement age. However, as analysis shows, more attention should be paid to what will happen when older faculty "do" retire, which they will, albeit later than they have in the past. They will leave behind a higher education system where far fewer faculty will be a part of the traditional career track. (Contains 3 figures.)

This study is concerned with ways in which children with Williams syndrome (WS), a rare neurodevelopmental disorder arising from a hemizygous deletion in chromosome band 7q11.23 including the gene for elastin (ELN) and approximately 20 surrounding genes, are affected by social mores of vastly differing cultures: the United States and Japan. WS presents a compelling model for the investigation because its genetic phenotype is well defined and results in an uneven cognitive profile as well as a social phenotype typical of the syndrome including overt over-friendliness toward strangers. While a number of research groups have been studying the cognitive strengths and weaknesses of individuals with WS in various countries, there have not been studies to date that explore the social phenotype in WS across different cultures. This study examines the ways in which social behavior in WS, stemming from specific genetic underpinnings, might be mediated by cultural expectations. We conducted a cross-cultural study using an instrument that measures aspects of sociability commonly found among people with WS. Quantitative analyses revealed a significant effect of diagnostic category in that in both countries, children with WS were rated as significantly higher in global sociability and more likely to approach strangers than were their normal counterparts. There was also an effect of culture, in that regardless of category, WS and normal children in Japan were rated lower than their counterparts in the US. We suggest that the excessively social phenotype of children with Williams syndrome, although markedly present across cultures, appears to vary in its intensity by culture. This is an intriguing illustration of interactions between nature and nurture.

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has compiled its classification of higher-education institutions for more than 30 years. In the most recent incarnation of the classification, the foundation has transformed its taxonomy to better reflect the variety of colleges and universities across the United States. The new classification has traded simplicity for nuance, with associated benefits and costs. In this column, the author shows how the new classification might conceivably be used, which he hopes will also illuminate some of its implicit assumptions about how institutions should be compared. (Contains 3 tables.)

Key Takeaways: The prevalence of low incomes in the United States is the primary driver for unaffordable water services. Minor rate increases or higher volumes of water usage can have a substantial impact on the pervasiveness of unaffordability. With the cost of water likely to continue increasing, utilities can play a role in protecting customers at all income levels through their rate structures. Affordability elasticity—the relationship of water bills to income distribution—is an important factor to consider in rate design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This quantitative study was based on the survey results of 216 chief student affairs officers' (CSAOs) at United States' colleges and universities whose enrollments were between 500 and 3,000 students. In the spring of 2001, 58% of the CSAOs returned the 42-item Survey of Student Learning Principles, based on the seven "Principles of Good Practice for Student Affairs" (ACPA & NASPA, 1997). Comparison of means and factor analysis revealed that student affairs divisions were most successful at incorporating principles of learning based on direct interaction with students, including (1) engaging students in active learning, (2) helping students develop coherent values, and (3) building supportive and inclusive communities. Principles of learning having to do with improving management practices within student development, such as using resources effectively, using systematic inquiry, and forging educational partnerships, were least incorporated within student affairs divisions. These results indicate that although student affairs divisions are successful in building relationships with students that enhance learning, in order to maintain this interaction they may need to focus more efforts on improving management practices. (Contains 3 tables.)

Public colleges and universities are complex organizations that assert their institutional autonomy as they simultaneously operate in a context demanding response to public and political scrutiny. State boards and legislators, for example, enact programs, incentives, or regulations in many policy arenas designed to affect how colleges operate. One instructive topic to look at in this regard is student financial aid, because it allows us to examine the tension between institutions and states--as well as the tension between different approaches to policy.

Nearly a quarter-million children are siblings to children living with serious illness. Intense physical, emotional, social and psychological concerns are introduced when a brother or sister is diagnosed with a serious illness or disease. Support services for siblings are critical to promote positive outcomes and decrease negative consequences and align with parents' desires to support all of their children. These include services offered to the sibling or family to provide comfort or enhance the quality of life during a child's serious illness. Despite national standards, sibling support services are often difficult for families to access. The aim of this study was to describe sibling support activities provided through teaching children's hospitals across the United States using a cross-sectional, descriptive design. Results indicate most hospitals surveyed offer sibling support services that focus on sibling education about the illness; parent education on how to anticipate the siblings needs; and activities for families to do together, yet face barriers to delivery. Services focused directly on siblings and actively supporting their adaptation were least often provided and less than half reported screening siblings for psychosocial distress. Findings suggest that sibling support services may be an important resource to minimize distress and promote adaptation for siblings. This description of current and available sibling support services is an important starting point for enhancing services, policies, and institutions that fully envelope siblings into patient- and family-centered care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some say that the educators now have a gender-stratified system of higher education, with nearly 60 percent of all undergraduates being women and fewer men attending each year. The battle for gender equity for women in higher education has been a long and contentious one. In the decades since, increasing numbers of women have gone to college, to the point where now 57 percent of all students in higher education are women. This gap in college enrollment is not unique to the United States. This article discusses the two factors that contribute to the higher education gender gap in the US: (1) high-school graduation rate; and (2) gender gap in earnings. (Contains 2 figures and 4 resources.)

Decisions about whether or not to become a parent are significant parts of normative human development. Many studies have shown that married different-sex couples are expected to become parents, and that many social pressures enforce this norm. For same-sex couples, however, much less is known about social norms surrounding parenthood within marriage. This study examined injunctive norms and descriptive norms for the pursuit of parenthood as a function of age, gender, and sexual orientation. Participants in an internet survey included 1020 (522 heterosexual, 498 lesbian/gay) cisgender people from across the United States Findings showed that norms, especially descriptive norms, for the pursuit of parenthood for heterosexual people were much stronger than those for lesbian women and gay men, and that norms for lesbian women were stronger than those for gay men. These differences were more pronounced for older, heterosexual, and male participants. However, lesbian and gay participants, especially gay men, reported that lesbian and gay people ought to become parents to the same extent as heterosexual people. Overall, the results indicated that, regardless of sexual orientation, adults report that lesbian and gay married people ought to become parents, but that they expect only a minority of these couples will pursue parenthood. This research provided a glimpse into how Americans are envisioning family formation among same-sex couples today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Takeaways: Eleven utilities from across the United States were studied to understand the pandemic's effects on water consumption and utility revenues. Most utilities in the study saw an overall increase in water consumption with a rise in residential demand that offset declines in nonresidential demand. Most utilities in the study experienced increased revenues in 2020 compared with previous years, largely due to rate increases, inclining block rates, and an unusually warm summer. Water utilities' ability to adjust to fluctuating demand and changing revenue patterns is a testament to their sound financial practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs) continue to challenge acute care facilities. Best practice to reduce HAPI includes assessment, documentation, positioning, and treatment. Local Problem: In spite of using evidence-based practices, the hospital's gastrointestinal/genitourinary progressive care unit had more HAPIs each month than the other units in the hospital. Methods: A combination of Lean Six Sigma and evidence-based practice was used to decrease HAPIs. Interventions: The T³ program (turn, touch, and tidy) was developed to address the areas of concern identified in the root cause analysis. Results: HAPIs were reduced from 22 in the previous 2 quarters to zero for 3 consecutive quarters with a cost avoidance to $379 767. Conclusions: The successful implementation of the T³ program was the result of blending Lean Six Sigma and evidence-based practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Lewis Carroll's "Through the Looking Glass," the Red Queen tells Alice: "Now here, you see, it takes all the running you can do to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that." In the first of a series of columns, this author discusses why the Red Queen principle, as it has come to be known, applies to the production of a highly educated population across nations. In this initial analysis, Doyle makes use of data from the OECD "Education at a Glance" indicators report, published every year from 1996 to 2003, to compare several nations' success at producing a college-educated population. He looks at the proportion of the population that has attained a type A-tertiary education (meaning essentially a bachelor's degree or higher in the U.S. context) in Canada, Korea, Japan, Norway, and the United States. These nations were chosen because they have the highest production of university-level education, particularly among young people. (Contains 3 charts.)

Research has established that sexual minority young adults generally report fewer desires and fewer expectations for parenthood than do their heterosexual peers. Little is known, however, about other desires and expectations. Is parenthood the only domain in which lesbian and gay individuals report fewer desires and expectations than their heterosexual peers? Or do lower aspirations among lesbian and gay adults about parenthood also occur in other domains, such as marriage and work? In this study, we explored a variety of desires and expectations for the future among lesbian, gay, and heterosexual young adults. Participants for this internet survey were recruited via social media, and included 368 childless cisgender young adults (211 lesbian or gay and 157 heterosexual) living in the United States. There were three main findings. First, while lesbian/gay individuals were less likely than heterosexual participants to express desire for parenthood, desires in the other future domains did not vary across sexual orientation. Lesbian/gay participants were as likely as heterosexual individuals to desire marriage, friendships, and community connections, as well as career and economic success. Results for expectations were, however, very different. Lesbian/gay participants were less likely than heterosexual individuals to expect that they would marry, become parents, feel connected to a community, achieve meaningful careers, live in their ideal housing, or that they would attain financial stability. Thus, although desires were largely unrelated to sexual orientation, many expectations were strongly linked to it. Lesbian and gay individuals were also far more likely than their heterosexual peers to desire future goals that they did not expect to achieve. Overall, for lesbian/gay young adults, low parenthood aspirations were part of a general pattern of low expectations (though not reduced desires) across a number of life domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disparities in the intention to parent have been found for lesbian and gay individuals compared with heterosexual individuals, but little is known about what social contexts predict these differences. Qualities of family relationships, friendships, and romantic relationships may all play a role, but these have not been studied as a function of sexual orientation. Using a large national sample of adults in the United States, this study explored intentions for parenthood, ideal family size, and predictors of parenting intentions as a function of gender and sexual orientation. Results showed that fewer lesbian and gay than heterosexual individuals intended to become parents. In addition, among those who intended parenthood, lesbian and gay individuals reported smaller intended family sizes than did their heterosexual peers. Sociocontextual and demographic variables predicted parenting intentions similarly among all participants, regardless of sexual orientation. However, dissimilarities in the levels of these predictors explained some of the disparity in parenting intentions between lesbian/gay and heterosexual participants. Much remains to be learned about the role of sexual orientation in family formation processes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bicycling has significant health benefits, though rates of participation remain low in the United States, possibly related to safety concerns from traffic. Providing education to new drivers about sharing the road with cyclists may help with preventing injury. The purpose of this case study is to describe the development and implementation of a pilot program in high school driver education to improve bicyclist safety and awareness in a community. Methods: Led by the local bike advocacy group, a collaborative group of community partners developed a curriculum to educate students in driver education classes at the regional high school. The curriculum was delivered by a trained volunteer and provided instruction on laws and proper Driver behavior. Results: More than 400 students received the information. Community support was positive, resulting in a continued offering of the program in driver education at the regional high school with potential expansion to neighboring school districts. Conclusion: This pilot test of a program offering an opportunity to enhance the safety of all bicyclists on the roads gained acceptance and has potential for dissemination to high schools and possible a long term impact on bicyclists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The material support statutes, 18 U.S.C. 2339A and 2339B, have been among the most frequently prosecuted federal anti-terrorism statutes. Section 2339A outlaws: (1) (a) Attempting to, (b) conspiring to, or (c) actually (2) (a) providing material support or resources, or (b) concealing or disguising i. the nature, ii. location, iii. source, or iv. ownership v. of material support or resources (3) knowing or intending that they be used (a) in preparation for, (b) in carrying out, (c) in preparation for concealment of an escape from, or in carrying out the concealment of an escape from (4) an offense identified as a federal crime of terrorism. Section 2339B outlaws: (1) (a) Attempting to provide, (b) conspiring to provide, or (c) actually providing (2) material support or resources (3) to a foreign terrorist organization (4) knowing that the organization (a) has been designated a foreign terrorist organization, or (b) engages, or has engaged, in "terrorism" or "terrorist activity". The sections use a common definition for the term "material support or resources:" any service or tangible or intangible property. The Supreme Court recently held that the forms of material support in the challenge before it were not unconstitutionally vague nor was their proscription inconsistent with the First Amendment's freedom of speech and freedom of association requirements. Violations of either section are punishable by imprisonment for not more than 15 years. Although neither section creates a civil cause of action for victims, treble damages and attorneys fees may be available for some victims under 18 U.S.C. 2333. Section 2339B has two extraterritorial jurisdiction provisions. One is general (there is extraterritorial jurisdiction over an offense under this section) and the other descriptive (there is extraterritorial jurisdiction over an offender under this section if the offender is a U.S. national, etc.). Section 2339A has no such provisions, but is likely applicable at a minimum when an offender or victim is a U.S. national; the offense has an impact in the United States; the offense is committed against U.S. national interests; or the offense is universally condemned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thomas Schärtl observes that many trends in the United States are adapted in Europe and especially in Germany, yet there remain categories that are incommensurable. What can appear to be an ideal pluralism in the United States can also be interpreted as "bubbles" that reveal a lack of interaction among various groups. Consumerism and individualism have an impact on even some US Catholic bishops, leading to actions that appear strange to a German observer, such as protesting President Obama's invitation to speak at Notre Dame and teaming up politically with conservative Evangelical and Pentecostal Christians. German Catholics need to safeguard the relationship between religion and reason. Dennis Doyle agrees with Schärtl on the big picture but offers qualifications on specific points, noting especially the positive dimensions of Catholic interaction with Evangelicals and Pentecostals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE. We examined the development, implementation, and effectiveness of a theory-based workshop to facilitate knowledge translation for occupational therapists addressing upper-limb poststroke sensory impairments. METHOD. Nineteen therapists participated in a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest study that included an 8-hr evidence-based workshop designed using the Theory of Planned Behavior. We measured changes in knowledge, attitudes, and perceived behavioral control and intended behaviors regarding sensory impairment management, research utilization, and shared decision making. RESULTS. We noted significant changes in knowledge, attitudes, and perceived behavioral control and intended behaviors about sensory impairment management, research utilization, and shared decision making and made recommendations for changes in recruitment strategies, outcome measures, and workshop content. CONCLUSION. A theory-based workshop can potentially affect knowledge, attitudes, and intended behaviors about sensory impairment management, research utilization, and shared decision making. A randomized controlled trial evaluating this intervention is warranted and will potentially improve understanding of methods to facilitate knowledge translation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Upper limb post-stroke sensory impairments have an impact on a significant number of stroke survivors. There is limited research in this area and it is unclear how occupational therapists are addressing sensory impairments in clinical practice. This study aimed to investigate the clinical practice patterns of occupational therapists, perceived barriers to providing interventions and information sources used when addressing upper limb post-stroke sensory impairments. Methods: A survey was sent to 500 randomly selected occupational therapists in the United States. Findings: The majority of the 145 respondents reported frequently assessing sensation, and half reported providing interventions for sensory impairments. Interventions primarily focused on providing passive sensory stimulation followed by compensatory strategies. Most therapists provided patient/caregiver education about safety. Therapists cited lack of knowledge and skills, patients' short length of stay and lack of time as barriers to utilizing interventions. Most therapists reported not being up to date with current research and requested continuing education to support practice. Conclusion: This survey established a profile of American occupational therapists' practice with people with upper limb post-stroke sensory impairments. Therapists have a need for information and training in all aspects of the management of upper limb post-stroke sensory impairment. Further research, evaluating the effectiveness of interventions and exploring therapists' clinical decision making when choosing interventions, is also needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is not a crime to attempt to commit most federal offenses. Unlike state law, federal law has no generally applicable crime of contempt. Congress, however, has outlawed the attempt to commit a substantial number of federal crimes on an individual basis. In doing so, it has proscribed the attempt, set its punishment, and left to the federal courts the task of further developing the law in the area. The courts have identified two elements in the crime of attempt: an intent to commit the underlying substantive offense and some substantial step towards that end. The point at which a step may be substantial is not easily discerned; but it seems that the more serious and reprehensible the substantive offense, the less substantial the step need be. Ordinarily, the federal courts accept neither impossibility nor abandonment as an effective defense to a charge of attempt. Attempt and the substantive offense carry the same penalties in most instances. A defendant may not be convicted of both the substantive offense and the attempt to commit it. Commission of the substantive offense, however, is neither a prerequisite for, nor a defense against, an attempt conviction. Whether a defendant may be guilty of an attempt to attempt to commit a federal offense is often a matter of statutory construction. Attempts to conspire and attempts to aid and abet generally present less perplexing questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is an overview of the elements of federal criminal money laundering statutes and the sanctions imposed for their violation. The most prominent is 18 U.S.C. 1956. Section 1956 outlaws four kinds of money laundering--promotional, concealment, structuring, and tax evasion laundering of the proceeds generated by designated federal, state, and foreign underlying crimes (predicate offenses)--committed or attempted under one or more of three jurisdictional conditions (i.e., laundering involving certain financial transactions, laundering involving international transfers, and stings). Its companion, 18 U.S.C. 1957, prohibits depositing or spending more than $10,000 of the proceeds from a Section 1956 predicate offense. Violations of Section 1956 are punishable by imprisonment for not more than 20 years; Section 1957 carries a maximum penalty of imprisonment for 10 years. Property involved in either case is subject to confiscation. Misconduct which implicates Sections 1956 and 1957 may implicate other federal criminal statutes as well. Federal racketeer influenced and corrupt organization (RICO) provisions outlaw acquiring or conducting the affairs of an enterprise (whose activities affect interstate or foreign commerce) through the patterned commission of a series of underlying federal or state crimes. RICO violations are also 20-year felonies. Every RICO predicate offense, including each "federal crime of terrorism," is automatically a Section 1956 money laundering predicate offense. A second related statute, the Travel Act (18 U.S.C. 1952), punishes interstate or foreign travel, or the use of interstate or foreign facilities, conducted with the intent to distribute the proceeds of a more modest list of predicate offenses or to promote or carry on such offenses when an overt act is committed in furtherance of that intent. Such misconduct is punishable by imprisonment for not more than five years. Other federal statutes proscribe, with varying sanctions, bulk cash smuggling, layering bank deposits to avoid reporting requirements, failure to comply with federal anti-money laundering provisions, or conducting an unlawful money transmission business. The Supreme Court has held that the Section 1956 ban on attempted international transportation of tainted proceeds for the purpose of concealing their ownership, source, nature, or ultimate location is limited to instances where concealment is a purpose rather than an attribute of the transportation (simple smuggling is not proscribed as such), United States v. Cuellar, 553 U.S. 550 (2008). In a second case, the Court indicated that for purposes of Section 1956 the "proceeds" of a predicate offense often referred to the profits rather than the gross receipts realized from the offense, United States v. Santos, 553 U.S. 507 (2008). Congress responded by defining "proceeds" for purposes of Sections 1956 and 1957 as the property obtained or retained as a consequence of a predicate offense, including gross receipts, P.L. 111-21, 123 Stat. 1618 (2009)(S. 386)(111th Cong.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is a federal crime to devise a scheme to defraud another of property, when either mail or wire communications are used in furtherance of the scheme, 18 U.S.C. 1341, 1343. Mail or wire fraud includes schemes to defraud another of honest services, when the scheme involves bribery or a kick back, 18 U.S.C. 1346; Skilling v. United States, 130 S.Ct. 2896 (2010). In order to convict, the government must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant (1) used either mail or wire communications in the foreseeable furtherance, (2) of a scheme to defraud, (3) involving a material deception, (4) with the intent to deprive another of, (5) either property or honest services. Offenders face the prospect of imprisonment for not more than 20 years, a fine of not more than $250,000 (not more than $500,000 for organizations), an order to pay victim restitution, and the confiscation of any property realized from the offense. Misconduct that constitutes mail or wire fraud may also constitute a violation of one or more other federal crimes. Principal among these are predicate offense crimes, frauds based on jurisdictional factors other than use of mail or wire communications, and other honest services frauds in the form of bribery or kickbacks. The other federal bribery and kickback offenses include bribery of public officials, federal program bribery, extortion under color of official right, and Medicare/Medicaid kickbacks. Mail and wire fraud are money laundering and racketeering predicate offenses. Numbered among the fraud offenses based on other jurisdiction grounds are the false claims and false statement offenses, bank fraud, health care fraud, securities fraud, and foreign labor contracting fraud. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Congress enacted the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (R!CO) provisions as part of the Organized Crime Control Act of 1970. In spite of its name and origin, RICO is not limited to "mobsters" or members of "organized crime" as those terms are popularly understood. Rather, it covers those activities which Congress felt characterized the conduct of organized crime, no matter who actually engages in them. RICO proscribes no conduct that is not otherwise prohibited. Instead it enlarges the civil and criminal consequences, under some circumstances, of a list of state and federal crimes. In simple terms, RICO condemns: (1) any person (2) who (a) invests in, or (b) acquires or maintains an interest in, or (c) conducts or participates in the affairs of, or (d) conspires to invest in, acquire, or conduct the affairs of (3) an enterprise (4) which (a) engages in, or (b) whose activities affect, interstate or foreign commerce (5) through (a) the collection of an unlawful debt, or (b) the patterned commission of various state and federal crimes. Violations are punishable by (a) the forfeiture of any property acquired through a RICO violation and of any property interest in the enterprise involved in the violation, and (b) imprisonment for not more than 20 years, or for life if one of the predicate offenses carries such a penalty, and/or a fme of not more than the greater of twice the amount of gain or loss associated with the offense or $250,000 for individuals and $500,000 for organizations. RICO has generally survived constitutional challenges, although its forfeiture provisions are subject to an excessive fines clause analysis and perhaps to cruel and unusual punishment disproportionality analysis. RICO violations also subject the offender to civil liability. The courts may award anyone injured in their business or property by a R/CO violation treble damages, costs and attorneys' fees, and may enjoin RICO violations, order divestiture, dissolution or reorganization, or restrict an offender's future professional or investment activities. Civil RICO has been controversial. At one time commentators urged Congress to amend its provisions. Congress found little consensus on the questions raised by proposed revisions, however, and the issue seems to have been put aside at least for the time being. The text of the RICO sections, citations to state RICO statutes, and a selected bibliography are appended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zacarias Moussaoui, members of the Colombian drug cartels, members of organized crime, and some of the former Enron executives have at least one thing in common: they all have federal conspiracy convictions. The essence of conspiracy is an agreement of two or more persons to engage in some form of prohibited misconduct. The crime is complete upon agreement, although some statutes require prosecutors to show that at least one of the conspirators has taken some concrete step or committed some overt act in furtherance of the scheme. There are dozens of federal conspiracy statutes. One, 18 U.S.C. 371, outlaws conspiracy to commit some other federal crime. The others outlaw conspiracy to engage in various specific forms of proscribed conduct. General Section 371 conspiracies are punishable by imprisonment for not more than five years; drug trafficking, terrorist, and racketeering conspiracies all carry the same penalties as their underlying substantive offenses, and thus are punished more severely than are Section 371 conspiracies. All are subject to fines of not more than $250,000 (not more than $500,000 for organizations), most may serve as the basis for a restitution order, and some for a forfeiture order. The law makes several exceptions for conspiracy because of its unusual nature. Because many united in crime pose a greater danger than the isolated offender, conspirators may be punished for the conspiracy, any completed substantive offense which is the object of the plot, and any foreseeable other offenses which one of the conspirators commits in furtherance of the scheme. Since conspiracy is an omnipresent crime, it may be prosecuted wherever an overt act is committed in its furtherance. Because conspiracy is a continuing crime, its statute of limitations does not begin to run until the last overt act committed for its benefit. Since conspiracy is a separate crime, it may be prosecuted following conviction for the underlying substantive offense, without offending constitutional double jeopardy principles; because conspiracy is a continuing offense, it may be punished when it straddles enactment of the prohibiting statute, without offending constitutional ex post facto principles. Accused conspirators are likely to be tried together, and the statements of one may often be admitted in evidence against all. In some respects, conspiracy is similar to attempt, to solicitation, and to aiding and abetting. Unlike aiding and abetting, however, it does not require commission of the underlying offense. Unlike attempt and solicitation, conspiracy does not merge with the substantive offense; a conspirator may be punished for both. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents guidelines for college teachers to teach organic chemistry in the U.S. These guidelines include inquiring about the internal support available for teachers at an institution, regular performance assessments of full-time, tenure-track teachers, and writing a proposal for research support. It provides information on the traditional curriculums for chemistry courses, student recruitment and mentoring, and professional ethics.

Section 3771 of Title 18 of the United States Code is a statutory bill of rights for victims of crimes committed in violation of federal law or the laws of the District of Columbia. It defines victims as anyone directly and proximately harmed by such an offense, individuals and legal entities alike. It does not appear to include family relatives of a deceased, child, or incapacitated victim except in a representative capacity. Numbered among the rights it conveys are (1) the right to be reasonably protected from the accused; (2) the right to notification of public court and parole proceedings and of any release of the accused; (3) the right not to be excluded from public court proceedings under most circumstances; (4) the right to be heard in public court proceedings relating to bail, the acceptance of a plea bargain, sentencing, or parole; (5) the right to confer with the prosecutor; (6) the right to restitution under the law; (7) the right to proceedings free from unwarranted delays; and (8) the right to be treated fairly and with respect to one's dignity and privacy. The section directs the courts and law enforcement officials to see to it that the rights it creates are honored. Both victims and prosecutors may assert the rights and seek review from the appellate courts should the rights be initially denied. The section vests no rights in the accused nor does it create cause of action damages in any instance where a victim is afforded less than the section's full benefits. Conforming amendments to the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure became effective on December 1, 2008. The Justice Department promulgated implementing regulations on November 17, 2005. The text of Section 3771 is appended, as is that of Rule 60 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of music teachers in urban elementary schools. Title I public elementary schools (N - 221) in two counties in the Southeastern United States were surveyed for demographic information, and 71 of the music teachers from those schools participated in the survey designed for this study. The Doyle (2009) survey reported an overall Cronbach's alpha of 0.91. The survey was intended to accumulate data representing urban music education in respect to the independent variables of student demographics, teacher demographics. student/teacher demographic differences, teacher preparation. and teacher support; the dependent variables examined were teacher attitudes about urban elementary music teaching and teacher expectations of their urban elementary music students. Results indicated that most of the teachers mismatched demographically with their students. Teacher/student socioeconomic matches were correlated with Attitudes; teacher/student ethnicity and socioeconomic status matches were correlated with Expectations. Professional support was positively correlated with preparation. Support was negatively correlated with the socioeconomic variables, and positively correlated with both attitudes and expectations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]