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Adolescents’ willingness to disclose violence in romantic relationships has important implications for their safety and overall well-being. However, research is limited on adolescent intentions to seek help for dating violence. Using self-report data from 493 rural youth (54% male, 49.7% African American), this study examined heterogeneity of adolescent help-seeking in relation to different forms of violence and sources of potential disclosure. Latent class analyses identified four distinct groups of adolescents: (a) Multi-help-seekers (20.5%) who are likely to seek help for any form of dating violence from multiple sources, (b) Reluctant help-seekers (21.1%) who are unlikely to seek help for any form of violence from any source, (c) Informal help-seekers (28.8%) who are willing to disclose dating violence primarily to caregivers and friends, and (d) Selective help-seekers (29.5%) with varied intentions to disclose some forms of violence to select people. Results further revealed that class membership was differentially related to gender and caregiver’s level of education. Additionally, findings confirmed expectations that variation in adolescent well-being and safety measures was a function of membership in help-seeking classes. The article discusses these findings in the context of targeted programs and services to promote help-seeking among rural youth.

Although it seems reasonable to assume that start-up packages are important for faculty success, the contribution of start-up packages to faculty professional development is understudied. The aim of this study was to explore how the number of benefits obtained in start-up package agreements (number of benefits), faculty satisfaction with the start-up packages (faculty satisfaction), and faculty perception if the university honored the start-up package agreements (honored packages) influenced faculty perception of the contribution of start-up packages to faculty professional development (contribution to professional development). Professional development is a planned activity that improves faculty member’s knowledge and skills that are essential to their performance. Faculty at all ranks (N = 121) from a public research university from the southeastern U.S. completed a Start-Up Package Satisfaction Survey. To measure the contribution to professional development, we asked participants to rate their level of agreement with the following statement, “My start-up package has helped me or contributed to my professional development.” Multiple mediation analyses revealed that: (1) number of benefits was positively associated with contribution to professional development, (2) both honored packages and faculty satisfaction mediated the link between number of benefits and contribution to professional development in a parallel fashion, and (3) honored packages and faculty satisfaction also sequentially mediated the link between number of benefits and contribution to professional development. The findings are valuable for university practice because they provide evidence of the importance of faculty satisfaction with start-up packages as well as faculty perception of university fair treatment and accountability.

There is a need to identify meaningful measures of the right to participate that embrace both heterogeneity among children and the diverse contexts in which participation is realized. To date, the literature that combines contextual and personal variation in participation is limited. Using a person-oriented approach, this study explored heterogeneity among children in relation to their perception of participation in four domains – home, school, local community and the country. The data came from a representative sample of 10- and 12-year old students (N = 2339) in schools in Albania who participated in the 3rd wave of the International Survey of Children’s Well-being. Latent profile analyses identified four groups of students, based on their participatory preferences along two dimensions of participation - perceived decision-making and respect. Two overall patterns emerged: (a) students whose endorsement of participation was consistent across all domains but varied in intensity (high level of endorsement vs. moderate) and (b) students whose endorsement of participation varied both across domains and levels of intensity (low vs. moderate vs. high). As expected, profiles defined by greater participation differed on a number of demographic characteristics (e.g., higher proportion of girls, greater proportion of students from families with higher socio-economic status). However, contrary to expectations, many profiles were not consistently related to children’s subjective well-being or satisfaction with life domains. The importance of these findings for targeted initiatives to promote participation among children in transitioning states is discussed.

Objectives: The purpose of this literature review was to highlight the studies on mental health in relation to acculturation and ethnic identity and to identify research gaps. The results can be used to help inform future immigrant mental health workers and policy makers as well as provide information about the implications of immigrant mental health. Methods: The literature search was conducted electronically, directed by a variety of key words. The search focused on five areas of immigrant mental health importance: (1) acculturation; (2) acculturation and mental health; (3) ethnic identity; (4) ethnic identity and mental health; and (5) acculturation, ethnic identity and mental health. A total of 171 articles were examined and 110 were included in the review. Results: The information is presented in the following categories: acculturation; acculturation and mental health; ethnic identity; ethnic identity and mental health; and acculturation, ethnic identity and mental health. Research gaps are also presented. Conclusion: Overall, literature shows that acculturation, ethnic identity and mental health are closely related to one another affecting both, individuals and communities. This literature review will help to better inform practitioners who may encounter immigrants experiencing mental health issues due to acculturation and ethnic identity pressure. This review may also help policy makers identify specific obstacles that are not addressed in immigration policies which can affect the implementation of these policies. In addition, the information presented can be used as an instrument for researchers in the field. Despite the limited amount of information about immigrant mental health challenges, much work remains to fully support the affected individuals and their families.

Research is mixed on the current state of democratic consolidation in transitioning states and whether young people are prepared to help sustain a culture of democracy. This study draws on the Council of Europe’s Reference Framework of Competencies for Democratic Culture and the framework of the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study to explore patterns of democratic orientation among adolescents in Albania and Belarus (N = 711). Latent profile analyses identified five groups of democratically oriented adolescents in both states: (a) All-around citizens, (b) Idealistic and Disengaged, (c) Duty-oriented, (d) Diversity Enthusiasts and (e) Alienated. Results further revealed that profiles were unevenly distributed between the two countries and that profile membership was differentially related to adolescents’ perceptions of school climate and their intentions to participate in civic and political life. The article concludes with a discussion of how consideration of heterogeneity within democratically-competent youth can inform efforts to promote a culture of democracy in transitioning societies.

Memorializes Gary B. Melton (1952-2020). Melton was a psychology polymath. Recognized as a fellow by American Psychological Association (APA) and 10 different divisions, he was also president of Divisions 41 and 37 and received an unprecedented four APA Distinguished Contribution Awards-Psychology in the Public Interest (1981, 2014); Public Service (1999); and International Advancement of Psychology (2005). For 30 years, Melton directed interdisciplinary centers and institutes, three of which he founded: At the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of South Carolina, and Clemson University. He was known by former students and close colleagues as a passionate advocate, a visionary leader, and a caring and loyal mentor and friend. Melton died September 20, 2020. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

This study examined the relationship between acculturation, ethnic identity, and psychological well-being of the Albanian-American immigrant community in United States. A total of 139 Albanian-Amer...

Research is inconclusive about the trajectory of dating violence during adolescence and whether there are differences across gender and race/ethnicity. We examined dating victimization and perpetration trajectories among a diverse sample of rural youth (N = 580, 52.7% female, 49% Black, 39% White, 11% Hispanic or other minorities) in middle and high school who were surveyed annually across four years and explored the influences of gender and ethnicity. The results based on cohort-sequential latent growth modeling revealed that for boys, victimization peaked at 11th grade, and then declined. For girls, victimization was stable throughout adolescence. Perpetration was reported less frequently and increased steadily for males and females. For White youth, victimization peaked at grades 9 and 10, followed by a decline. For Black youth, victimization followed a linear increase. Perpetration trajectory followed a linear increase for White and Black but not Hispanic youth. The findings indicate that the developmental progression of dating violence during adolescence varies by demographics. The discussion focuses on future directions for research on teen dating violence among rural youth and implications for prevention and interventions initiatives.

The paper deals with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the history of its origin and the problems of searching for a balance between the basic principles of CRC. It further summarizes the CRC structure, including analysis of the 3P principle (provision–protection–participation) and the best child's interest as a primary aspect for assessing the rights of the child. One part is also the analysis of CRC implementation, including the definition of a child and its problems. Implementation is considered from the aspect of the function of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, and also from the aspect of the duties of parties after ratification of the option records – the Option Record to CRC on engaging a child in armed conflicts, and also the Option Record to CRC on child trafficking, child prostitution and child pornography adopted by the Czech Republic. Without any doubt the Czech Republic understands the CRC as the basic international document that is taken into account not only with the elaboration of strategies (see “Right on Childhood”). On the other hand there are still weak points to improve (e.g. right of the child to file a complaint for violation of their rights).

This article focuses on the recent flurry of legislation in states to address bullying among school children. The primary purpose is to describe, compare, and contrast current state laws about bullying. Specifically, a description is provided of legislators' definitions of bullying and legislative findings about the nature and seriousness of bullying. Next, an analysis is conducted of the stated purposes of these laws and their likely consequences. Following is a brief review of several states' efforts to develop model policies about bullying. Finally, recommendations are made about actions that legislators and other policy makers can take to best support educators in the development of effective bullying prevention policies and programs. ********** Historically, bullying among school children has not been a topic of significant public concern. Indeed, many adults have viewed the experience of being bullied as a rite of passage for children and youth. In recent years, however, attention to bullying among children has increased dramatically among school personnel, members of the general public, and policy makers. The attention is well deserved. Recent research indicates that bullying is quite prevalent among American school children, directly involving approximately 30% of school children within a school semester (17% as victims of bullying and 19% as perpetrators; Nansel et al., 2001; see also Melton et al., 1998). Moreover, research confirms that bullying among children poses serious risks for victims and bullies (Limber, 2002; Nansel et al., 2001; Nansel, Overpeck, Haynie, Ruan, & Scheidt, 2003) and may seriously affect the climate of schools (Limber, 2002). The rising recognition of bullying as a serious problem has caused many to rethink how school policies directed at increasing safety and reducing violence may be modified or expanded to address bullying. Specifically, many state legislatures now are interested in passing laws that influence the development of school-based violence prevention policies that are inclusive of bullying. In turn, school administrators and staff are interested in learning how existing policies may be modified to address bullying more directly and in discovering how bullying prevention principles and programs might best be implemented in school settings. This interest has resulted in a significant amount of legislative, policy, and programmatic activity in recent years related to bullying. Although schools are governed by a complicated set of interrelated federal and state laws, the majority of policies and practices regarding school disciplinary practices are crafted at the state and local levels. Specifically, policies regarding discipline, suspension, and expulsion most often are determined by a combination of state legislative policy and local school district policy. Consequently, thus far, state laws have been the primary legislative vehicle for announcing new initiatives designed to reduce bullying behavior. Because state laws have a greater potential to influence the policies and practices of local school districts and individual schools related to bullying, they are the emphasis for this article. Even though state laws dominate the legal landscape, federal laws and policies do provide incentives for school districts to address student safety. Indeed, through major activities such as the "No Child Left Behind" initiative, the federal government often provides funding for research and demonstration programs that address school violence. Moreover, a public awareness campaign entitled, "Take a Stand. Lend a Hand. Stop Bullying Now" that specifically addresses bullying (Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services) is currently being launched. This article will focus on the recent flurry of legislation in states to address bullying among school children--describing, comparing, and contrasting current state laws about bullying. …

Changes in the way people marry, bear children and live together, combined with the changing nature of support for families, has put pressure on the justice system to adjust to new family and community realities in order to accomplish justice goals. Although the entire legal system is implicated by the changing nature of families and communities, most scholars and practitioners have focused on the judicial system and those courts most relevant to family issues: namely, the juvenile, family, and criminal courts. As scholars and practitioners began to 'rethink justice,' whole new reform movements of therapeutic jurisprudence, restorative justice, and community justice (among others) have emerged to offer new paradigms for the administration of justice. In this essay we discuss ways in which families and the justice system interact to strengthen and weaken each other to accomplish justice goals.

This "concept paper" emerged from a Law and Human Behavior (LHB) Workshop, that was called by the journal's Editor, Richard Wiener, and held at St. Louis University on March 19-21, 1999. This workshop, which brought together 22 scholars and researchers in legal psychology, was part of James Ogloff's Presidential Initiative Project for the American Psychology/Law Society, and was supported by St. Louis University and an NSF grant. Prior to our arrival, each participant answered queries from the Editor about LHB and the field of psychology and law, and each was asked to offer five topics that were underrepresented in the journal or that we would like to see addressed in future issues. At the workshop, we were assigned to small groups, and the authors of this paper constituted one such group. The "charge" for all groups was to "develop plans for encouraging submissions in areas of psycholegal scholarship that continue to be infrequent topics of investigation," and then to develop a concept paper. The direction our group took is captured by our title, "Everyday Life and Legal Values," and within this paper we explicate the topic, identify a number of underrepresented research areas, suggest some research paradigms for investigating them, and present this within a "perspectival directions" frame that ties established lines of research to the newer ones we propose.

The purpose of this article is to describe ways that legal psychology can be introduced into the undergraduate curriculum. The extent to which undergraduate “psychology and law” courses are currently a part of the curriculum is described, and a model is proposed for coursework in a Psychology Department that might adequately reflect coverage of the legal area. The role of legal psychology in interdisciplinary programs and Criminal Justice departments is discussed. Sources for teaching aids and curricular materials are described.

workers), training often is directed to only one of these two areas. However, to sustain and elevate public concern of human trafficking, both a multi-sector approach (law enforcement, schools, churches, non-governmental organizations, businesses, social services) and training on all types of human trafficking is necessary for success. A second strategy promoting the prevention of human trafficking has been the utilization of hotlines phone numbers made available for both witnesses and victims of human trafficking. Research on the effectiveness of hotlines is lacking, and still unknown is the extent to which hotlines either raise awareness of the issue of human trafficking for the general public or the extent to which they provide the most useful means for victims to extract themselves from human trafficking. Future research would necessarily be localized, but social scientists should consider how other means of communication might be more relevant for implementation and evaluation. For example, in the past, personal contact by outreach workers to street children has been believed to be an effective means to contact victims of commercial sexual exploitation, but today, the evolution of social media and technology use by minors may provide more effective interventions. Regarding the prosecution of offenders, criminal justice researchers have struggled to define the exact nature and extent of human trafficking both at the local, national and global levels. Part of the difficulty in determining exactly how prevalent human trafficking is in a given area is the confusing manner in which crimes are prosecuted. For example, a person might be charged with the criminal offenses of prostitution and/or kidnapping in addition to human trafficking, with some of these charges later dropped as part of plea bargaining.

There is increasing evidence that false eyewitness identification is the primary cause of the conviction of innocent people. In 1996, the American Psychology/Law Society and Division 41 of the American Psychological Association appointed a subcommittee to review scientific evidence and make recommendations regarding the best procedures for constructing and conducting lineups and photospreads. Three important themes from the scientific literature relevant to lineup methods were identified and reviewed, namely relative-judgment processes, the lineups-as-experiments analogy, and confidence malleability. Recommendations are made that double-blind lineup testing should be used, that eyewitnesses should be forewarned that the culprit might not be present, that distractors should be selected based on the eyewitness's verbal description of the perpetrator, and that confidence should be assessed and recorded at the time of identification. The potential costs and benefits of these recommendations are discussed.

Keywords: Foundation initiative, Catholic sisters, capacity buildingIntroductionCatholic sisters have established schools, hospitals, and social service ministries that have served hundreds of thousands of people over the past 200 years (Leadership Conference for Women Religious, 2010). Due to the natural aging of Catholic sisters and a decline in new vocations, however, there is an accelerating loss of sisters and their ministries nationwide (Gautier & Cidade, 2010). Although this loss is itself a concern, a more important impact is experienced by beneficiaries of ministries, especially those who have few alternatives to sister-affiliated social services. Because these ministries fill an important gap in the social safety net for vulnerable populations, the disappearance of ministry-directed efforts has begun to draw the attention of foundations (Wittberg, 2000).In 2001 the Saint Ann Foundation (now the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland) conducted a research study on the ministries of women religious across Kentucky, Tennessee, and South Carolina and identified three challenges facing the sisters and their ministries: (1) an aging and declining number of sisters in ministry; (2) an increase in the underlying needs the ministries were addressing; and (3) the paucity of plans in place for transitioning ministry leadership or sustaining ministry services (Csank, 2002). To address these challenges the foundation embarked upon a Collaboration for Ministry Initiative (CMI), with a goal of building collaborative capacity within and among ministries by providing grants, training and technical assistance, and opportunities for networking. Over time, the Cleveland initiative narrowed to focus on northeast Ohio.In 2003 the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina conducted a study of Catholic sisters in that state and reached similar conclusions regarding fewer sisters, their imperiled ministries, and the need for collaborative capacity building (Csank, 2004). In 2004 the CMI expanded to South Carolina and efforts began across both regions to build the collaborative capacity of sister-affiliated ministries in an effort to sustain the positive impact on beneficiaries.Capacity-Building ContextThe notion of building capacity within and in support of sisters' ministries links closely to the broader domain of capacity building in the nonprofit sector. Nonprofit capacity building has been the focus of extensive study, and numerous definitions have been offered for capacity building in the literature (Light, 2004). McPhee and Bare (2001) define capacity building as "the ability of nonprofit organizations to fulfill their missions in an effective manner." Gronbjerg and Cheney (2007) note seven operationalized dimensions of capacity building articulated in the literature: financial resources, marketing, networking and advocacy, information technology, human resources, planning and programs, and operations and governance. At its core, capacity building essentially involves the ability "to secure outside resources and to attain scale" (Glickman & Servon, 1998, p. 502).In terms of strategies to address capacity building, De Vita, Fleming, and Twombly (2001) propose three main types of activities: 1) assessment inside and outside of the organization; 2) interventions using management consultation, training, and/or technical assistance; and 3) direct financial support for core operating support, specific grants, and working capital. Yet others have suggested that capacity building should go beyond finding ways to increase nonprofits' financial-resource base to include such things as developing a broad vision and assessing how the organization can meet the community's needs (Boris, 2001). Overall, the nonprofit capacity-building literature provides good conceptual definitions and some guidance on identifying strategies and models for building nonprofit capacity (Fischer, 2004). …

This article briefly reviews state responses to child maltreatment. First, the magnitude and extent of the problem of child maltreatment is reviewed. There follows a discussion of how states have addressed the problem through reporting laws and special courtroom procedures. The limits of state approaches to child maltreatment are discussed and the potential for an increased federal role in establishing child maltreatment policy is considered.

This article argues that program evaluation data may be useful to the courts when they are deciding First Amendment constitutional law disputes. Specifically, we focus on how program evaluation data, quantitative and qualitative, may be dispositive in dealing with two types of First Amendment cases—pornography and commercial speech. The different evaluative approaches that are warranted with each type of case are compared and contrasted. The different possible legal routes that program evaluation data may take to influence the outcome of constitutional law disputes determines the empirical type of approach to be utilized. Where pornography cases lend themselves more to social science data being used in trials, cases of commercial speech are more likely to use data at the appellate level. Social scientists interested in conducting legally relevant research should structure their research accordingly.

The Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Maryland v. Craig created some uncertainty about the state constitutionality of child witness protection legislation. This article briefly discusses the current status of child witness protection legislation in light of recent litigation, focusing on Illinois. Conclusions are drawn concerning the likely future course of litigation affecting child witness protection legislation in other jurisdictions.

In a preliminary effort to define a global normative account of privacy, a comparison is undertaken between the protection privacy is accorded citizens of the United States and citizens of other countries. First, examples are drawn that illustrate how the interpretation of privacy in criminal cases of sodomy and abortion in the United States differs from national and international interpretations. Second, a description is made of different international legal approaches to protecting privacy. The significance of an international comparison for expanding privacy protection in the United States is discussed.

Recent articles and literature reviews within the field of social science and law point to the importance of developing interdisciplinary jurisprudence. An overview of psychological jurisprudence is presented. Next, three approaches to the specific construction of psychological jurisprudence are reviewed. Finally, the relationship between legal psychology and psychological jurisprudence is discussed. Language: en

The constitutional and empirical viability of “mentally disordered sex offender” statutes is reviewed in light of recent research and litigation. A brief history of legislative activity shows that, after an initial flurry of enacting such statutes, many states began repealing them. In spite of this retrenchment, other states have established new programs either through modifying existing statutes or enacting new ones. The relationship of “mentally disordered sex offender” legislation to treatment is discussed within a range of current state programs. An understanding of the legal context in which treatment programs operate is critical to addressing ultimate questions of treatment efficacy and sex offender recidivism.

Child abuse and neglect reporting statutes have existed for almost twenty-five years. Through various revisions, the primary purpose for which these statutes were enacted has remained constant - to protect children. This article reviews the fifty state statutes and related research. Although a number of empirical questions raised by these statutes have been addressed, unfortunately, important policy questions regarding the effect of these statutes on children and families have been largely ignored. Policy recommendations and directions for future research are discussed. Language: en

With the Supreme Court's decision in Ford v. Wainwright (1986), and the increasing numbers of persons sentenced to death, mental health professionals working in criminal settings can anticipate increased involvement in proceedings examining a condemned prisoner's competency to be executed. This article explores the legal context and clinical aspects of such evaluations. First, the substantive legal test and legal procedures surrounding an assessment of competency to be executed are presented. Salient elements of the legal process of determining competency are discussed. Next, assessment techniques are reviewed. Finally, the issue of mental health professionals answering the ultimate legal issue, as applied to competency to be executed evaluations, is addressed.

The death penalty has been under increasing empirical study since the United States Supreme Court decision in Furman v. Georgia. In recent years the Supreme Court has narrowed both the relevance and applicability of empirical evidence in deciding capital punishment cases. This paper reviews empirical challenges to the death penalty from the perspective of program evaluation. Recent trends in death penalty litigation suggest that the Supreme Court is simply fine-tuning the "death program," focusing on fairness of procedures and deferring the more difficult moral questions to state legislatures.

Examines the legal context of the professional judgment standard, discusses how treatment decisions have been used to obtain services for children that were otherwise unavailable, and demonstrates how the standard allows mental health professionals to improve conditions in institutions. In Youngberg v. Romeo (1982), the Supreme Court hem that courts must defer to the judgment of mental health professionals in determining what treatment services are constitutionally guaranteed to institutionalized persons. This holding provides child advocates and mental health professionals with two potential strategies for advocating for institutionalized children: (a) order appropriate but currently unavailable services and (b) raise current professional standards for conditions at institutions.

The primary thrust of Melton's argument is that “opposition by organized psychology to the Bork nomination would have been consistent with the jurisprudential philosophy on which social science in law, as a scholarly movement, is based” (p. 317). If APA is to justify opposition to Bork or future Supreme Court nominations (e.g., Souter), there should be a clearly identified normative foundation that directly leads to such advocacy. A stance based partly upon scholarship thatimplies reverence for constitutional values and partly upon preambles and principles of an ethical code is too slender a reed from which to cast APA's institutional support for a Supreme Court candidate. When such a stance is adopted, APA unfortunately becomes one of an increasing number of organizations attempting to influence political decisions by claiming allegiance to values consistent with democracy.

A 50-state statutory search revealed that variations exist in marital rape exemptions throughout the United States. States handle the question of marital rape in one of three ways: (1) by abolishing the exemption for husbands; (2) by qualifying the exemption; or (3) by allowing the exemption. Although marital rape is a topic that has been largely ignored by social psychology, it is an area ripe for psycho-legal analysis. Possible relationships between social psychology, marital rape exemptions, and privacy are discussed against a background of a psychological jurisprudence. Language: en

Over the last 15 years, commentators have discussed the relative merit—or lack of merit—of J.D.-Ph.D. training programs in law and psychology. Missing from the discussion, however, are the views of those who have enrolled in and completed dual degree programs. The authors, graduates of a law-psychology training program, provide both empirical data and their own views concerning the merit of joint degree training in law and psychology. As part of an effort to generate testable hypotheses regarding dual degree programs, the authors conclude that J.D.-Ph.D. training in law and psychology provides unique insights, skills and opportunities which may be unequalled by other approaches to training in the area.

In the region between 20 and 132 K, holmium is in a spiral anti-ferromagnetic phase, with the wave vector, τ, of the spiral increasing from 0.16 to 0.28 reciprocal lattice units. Near simple values of τ (such as 1 4 , which occurs near 100 K), a magnetic field can cause a “lock-in”, where the variation of τ with temperature is arrested over a small temperature range. Recently, Jensen [Phys. Rev. B 54 (1996) 4021] predicted that the temperature width of this lock-in should be very strongly dependent on the magnetic field orientation in the plane containing the c- and b-axis. We have used the N5 triple-axis spectrometer at the NRU reactor, Chalk River, to measure the temperature width of the τ = 1 4 lock-in in holmium as a function of the orientation of a 2.6 T magnetic field applied in the (c–b) plane: Our results are substantially in agreement with Jensen's prediction.

Prior to 1996, most churches and other faith-based organizations were ineligible to receive federal funding for community services. In a little noticed provision of the Welfare Reform Act of 1996 known as 'charitable choice,' the federal government allowed religious groups to receive money for social programs without requiring them to censor their religious expression or give up their religious identity. States, with varying degrees of vigor and success, have partnered with faith-based organizations to provide community services that serve the purpose of transitioning people from welfare to work. Recent political developments and legislation suggest an expanded role for faith-based organizations to receive federal money to develop community services, including money for community justice projects. The Comment begins with an overview of the political and legal contexts that allow the development of promoting community justice initiatives through faith-based efforts. Next, there is a discussion of practical considerations that influence decisions of churches and faith-based organizations to participate in these activities. Finally, there is discussion of the roles social scientists and others might play to facilitate community justice initiatives through faith-based efforts.

Advocacy on behalf of children is more than simply the provision of needed services to children. Advocacy efforts represent an attempt to increase the responsiveness and accountability of all institutions affecting children. As Melton (1983) notes, “whether the intent is to increase children's self-determination or to enhance the social, education, and medical resources to which children are entitled, child advocates have as their mission social action on behalf of children” (p. 1). Although social scientists often conduct and report research related to child well-being, these efforts frequently fail to take into account larger social trends affecting children and families. Moreover, they often fall short of informing advocacy efforts – either in helping to set an agenda for advocacy or in evaluating advocacy efforts. The intent of this chapter is to provide an overview of child advocacy issues for social scientists in order to facilitate a greater connection between social scientists and child advocates. We begin by noting some significant social trends influencing the nature of child advocacy. These include the changing nature of the American family, the changing nature of social institutions, and the shift in responsibility for children's welfare from the federal government to state and community organizations. Next, a brief history of advocacy is presented, noting philosophical differences between those who push for increasing self-determination of children and those who primarily advocate for improved health and safety conditions for children.

Privacy torts (and torts in general) have been a neglected area of psycholegal research. The lack of research in this area can be partially explained by ethical and methodological constraints, which make it difficult to conduct privacy research. Most empirical studies have measured privacy as an attitude, interest, or value. Unfortunately, many of these studies do not translate easily into assessing the behavioral assumptions contained in judicial opinions and made by legal commentators. However, with a proper understanding of the legal treatment of privacy, there is great opportunity for psychologists to assess the validity of legal assumptions about privacy and inform policy makers. The purpose of this chapter is to facilitate the task of conducting psycholegal research on privacy by exploring strategies that are appropriate to conducting research on privacy torts.

This chapter advocates a partnership between cognitive social psychology and the law of torts. The common subject matter of social psychology and tort doctrine is the manner in which human beings interact with each other. Psychology, however, takes a descriptive and inferential approach to the study of social behavior, and tort law formulates normative proscriptions to judge wrongful interactions. Insights may be gained about both enterprises if one is willing to view social psychology as basic science and tort law as social engineering. In this realist view (Manicas & Secord, 1983) of social psychology and the law, the researcher employs traditional experimental methods to study the underlying causal mechanisms that give rise to litigation.