Showing papers by "Urban Institute published in 2002"

The Impact of Microcredit Programs on Self-Employment Profits: Do Noncredit Program Aspects Matter?

Abstract: Microcredit programs provide a two-tiered approach to poverty alleviation: credit for the purchase of capital inputs in order to promote self-employment and noncredit services and incentives. These noncredit aspects may be an important component of the success of microcredit programs. However, because they are costly to deliver and their contribution to the success of the programs is difficult to measure, they may not be properly valued. This paper uses primary data on household participants and nonparticipants in Grameen Bank and two similar microcredit programs to measure the total and noncredit effects of microcredit program participation on productivity. The total effect is measured by estimating a profit equation and the noncredit effect by estimating the profit equation conditional on productive capital. Productive capital and program participation are treated as endogenous variables in the analysis. I find large positive effects of participation and the noncredit aspects of participation on self-em...

Taking stock: where we've been, where we are, where we're going

Abstract: Focusing on “where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re going,” the authors examine minority women’s and White women’s progress in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (SMET) over the past decade. Starting from an exploration of participation and achievement data, the authors move on to cover the theories behind SMET gender differences, including those based on testing, biology, social-psychology, and cognitive sciences. Looking at practice as well as theory, the authors explore the impacts that interventions and contextual influences, such as societal change and education reform, have had on efforts to achieve gender parity in SMET. The article concludes with the recommendation of logical next steps to preserve and expand the gains made by women in these fields.

Variations in breast carcinoma treatment in older Medicare beneficiaries: Is it black and white?

Abstract: BACKGROUND To evaluate associations between race and breast carcinoma treatment. METHODS Data from 984 black and 849 white Medicare beneficiaries 67 years or older with local breast carcinoma and a subset of 732 surviving women interviewed 3–4 years posttreatment were used to calculate adjusted odds of treatment, controlling for age, comorbidity, attitudes, region, and area measures of socioeconomic and health care resources. RESULTS Sixty-seven percent of women received a mastectomy and 33% received breast-conserving surgery. The odds of radiation omission were 48% higher (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01–2.19) for blacks than for whites after considering covariates, but the absolute number of women who failed to receive this modality was small (11%). In race-stratified models, the odds of having radiation omitted were significantly higher among blacks living greater distances from a cancer center (vs. lesser) or living in areas with high poverty (vs. low), but these factors did not affect radiation use among whites. Among those interviewed, blacks reported perceiving more ageism and racism in the health care system than whites (P = 0.001). The independent odds of receiving mastectomy (vs. breast conservation and radiation) were 2.72 times higher (95% CI 1.25–5.92) among women reporting the highest quartile of perceived ageism scores, compared with the lowest, and higher perceived ageism tended to be associated with higher odds of radiation omission (P = 0.06). CONCLUSIONS Older black women with localized breast carcinoma may have a different experience obtaining treatment than their white counterparts. The absolute number of women receiving nonstandard care was small and the effects were small to moderate. However, if these patterns persist, it will be important to evaluate whether such experiences contribute to within-stage race mortality disparities. Cancer 2002;95:1401–14. © 2002 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.10825

New Estimates of Lifetime Nursing Home Use: Have Patterns of Use Changed?

Abstract: Objectives. The elderly population at risk for costly nursing home care is increasing. It is important to understand patterns of lifetime nursing home use and their implications for public and private payers. We provide new lifetime nursing home use estimates, project future use, and discuss cost im

The Gender Gap in Poverty in Modern Nations: Single Motherhood, the Market, and the State:

Abstract: In this article we examine gender gaps in poverty in the United States and seven other Western nations, asking how single motherhood, market earnings, and welfare states affect gender inequality in...

Modeling Income in the Near Term: Revised Projections of Retirement Income Through 2020 for the 1931-1960 Birth Cohorts: Final Report

Abstract: This report details the development of a third version of MINT (Modeling Income in the Near Term), a tool for simulating the retirement incomes of members of the Baby Boom and neighboring cohorts. MINT3 can produce projections of economic and demographic characteristics in the year 2020, at the time of retirement, and for other years and ages. It can be used both to construct a baseline using alternative economic and demographic assumptions and to analyze the distributional consequences of a variety of Social Security policy changes.

Insights from Longitudinal Data on the Earnings Growth of U.S. Foreign-Born Men*

Abstract: Does the growth in earnings of foreign-born men exceed that of U.S. natives? We use longitudinal data on earnings from a Social Security Administration (SSA) database matched to the 1994 March Current Population Survey to shed new light on this important issue. We also examine the trend over time in the foreign-born men’s earnings growth and illuminate the various ways that SSA data can be used to explore the earnings patterns of immigrants.

The Practice and Promise of Prison Programming

Abstract: This report includes a literature review on the effectiveness of educational, vocational, and work programs in prison on employment outcomes and recidivism, and it includes an inventory of prison programs in seven states from the Great Lakes region The report also makes recommendations for strategic opportunities and identifies policy targets for increasing and enhancing prison-based programming

Assisting Women Victims of Violence Who Experience Multiple Barriers to Services

Abstract: This study examines the extent to which programs for domestic violence and sexual assault gear services toward women facing multiple barriers (i.e., substance abuse disorders, mental health problems or learning disabilities, incarceration, and prostitution) and the unique problems such women encounter when accessing services. As part of a national evaluation, the authors interviewed staff from 20 programs focusing their service efforts on multibarriered women. Problems encountered by such women include lack of services dealing with multiple barriers, uneducated service providers, and batterers using women's barriers to further control or victimize them. This article describes the strategies programs use to meet these women's distinct needs.

How fundraising is carried out in US nonprofit organisations

Abstract: A substantial number of nonprofit organisations in the USA report inflows of charitable contributions or grants without expenditures allocated to fundraising costs. This observation raises questions about how fundraising is carried out. Based on a survey of US charities, the paper observes that nonprofit organisations use a range of internal capacities and external relationships to conduct their fundraising. The use of staff members dedicated to fundraising is common, but much fundraising is still carried out by executive directors, volunteers and board members. Also, a substantial number of organisations engage external entities, including federated campaigns, support organisations and professional fundraising firms to generate contributions. Copyright © 2002 Henry Stewart Publications

A decade of drug treatment court research

Abstract: As drug treatment courts have multiplied over the past decade, so too have research evaluations conducted on their implementation and effectiveness. This article explores the decade of drug treatment court research conducted at RAND, starting with the experimental field evaluation of Maricopa's drug testing and treatment options to the most current 14-site national evaluation of courts funded in 1995-96 by the Drug Court Program Office. The article presents summaries of findings, a brief description of a drug treatment court typology, and suggestion of where future research might focus.

Transition Events in the Dynamics of Poverty

Abstract: Poverty rates hit record highs in 1993 and have fallen to record lows in 2000. What events triggered entries into poverty in the early 1990s and exits from poverty in the late 1990s? This paper uses a discrete-time multivariate hazard model and two longitudinal data sets, the PSID and SIPP, to examine how events--such as changes in household composition and labor supply--affect poverty entries and exits. We find that there is no single path in or out of poverty. Changes in household composition, disability status, and especially labor supply are important events for entering and exiting poverty.

What Do We Know (and Need to Know) about the Impact of School Choice Reforms on Disadvantaged Students

Abstract: In this article, Dan Goldhaber and Eric Eide consider what we do and do not know about the impact of school choice, focusing particularly on the potential impact of choice on minority students in urban school settings. They observe that many argue that school choice is a necessary component of any educational reform designed to improve educational outcomes for students. While public pressure has yielded a tremendous expansion of choice options, Goldhaber and Eide contend that the empirical evidence on the academic effects of school choice reforms is mixed. They propose that relatively little evidence exists that these schools are having a clear-cut positive or negative impact on the achievement of either the students who attend them or those who remain in traditional public schools. They conclude that the mixed evidence on choice suggests that choice in and of itself is unlikely to be the solution that revolutionizes urban school systems.

Accounting for Recent Declines in Employment Rates among the Working-aged Disabled

Abstract: During the 1990s, while overall employment rates for working-aged men and women either remained constant (men) or rose (women), employment rates for people with disabilities fell. During the same period the fraction of the working-aged population receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (DI) benefits increased dramatically. This article presents simple time series and cross-state evidence suggesting that the growth in the DI program can account for much of the decline in the relative employment position of men and women with disabilities. (Journal of Human Resources 2002 Spring; 37(2): 231-250).

Religious Versus Secular Human Service Organizations: Implications for Public Policy

Abstract: Objective. Tied to the notion that faith-related organizations provide a fresh alternative to secular social service nonprofits, the Bush Administration has proposed several controversial initiatives to increase the involvement of faith-based groups in addressing poverty in the United States. However, there is little empirical evidence on how these religious organizations raise or expend their resources or on how they differ from secular providers. Methods. Using descriptive and multivariate statistics, this article aims to add clarity to the debate over faith-based involvement in social service provision by examining the organizational and financial characteristics of more than 2,000 large, religious and secular human service providers. Results. The chief finding is that while faith-related and secular human services group have nearly identical expenditure patterns, they rely on different types of revenue to fund their services. Faith-based groups are significantly more likely than secular non-profits to depend on donor contributions, while secular groups are substantially more inclined to rely on government grants and contracts. Conclusions. Despite the strong fiscal health of faith-related providers, their heavy dependence on donor contributions raises important questions regarding the utility of faith-based policy initiatives.

Nonprofit Organization Data What we Have and What we Need

Abstract: Better information on the nonprofit sector in the United States is needed to help answer questions about the impact and accountability of nonprofits. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 990 is the best source of data for researchers, as filing is legally required for most nonprofits. Major exceptions are those with less than $25,000 in gross receipts and religious congregations or related organizations. All private foundations must file a Form 990-PF annually regardless of size. This article describes the current IRS data sources and details their strengths and limitations for different research purposes. Additional data needed to illuminate gaps in knowledge are noted, along with recommendations for future research. These include improving financial accounting for nonprofits and standardizing data definitions and reporting formats. Only with accurate and reliable data can research help inform decision making and lead to increased effectiveness within the nonprofit sector.

Cross-National Differences in Employment and Economic Sufficiency

Abstract: Economic independence is an important indicator of the transition to adulthood. This article portrays the level of economic in dependence among young adults, ages eighteen to thirty-two, in seven industrialized countries. The cross-national variations the authors uncover help one understand how work, family, and comparative income packages affect economic self-sufficiency. In all countries, young women are less able than are young men to become economically independent through market work alone. The ability to support a family is affected more by government transfers than the ability to support oneself. The authors also find that family support through additional income, the provision of housing, and caring labor as well as decisions to have roommates are clearly important to the economic well-being of young adults. In closing, the authors suggest several avenues for future research.

Transition Options for Youth with Disabilities An Overview of the Programs and Policies that Affect the Transition from School

Abstract: This paper characterizes the programs the complex set of programs that may affect the transition from school to work for a youth with a disability. Given the emphasis on accountability for outcomes in the recent IDEA legislation, it will be increasingly important for both researchers and policy makers to understand the interaction of school and non-school programs on the economic decisions of youth with disabilities. Unfortunately, there are relatively limited existing resources to examine these program overlaps. We propose that government agencies consider various options to improve in this area by adding information on special education participation to major surveys efforts; developing existing administrative databases that include information on programs that serve youth with disabilities; and using qualitative methods to examine how the strategies in adult-based programs interact with those used by youth while they were in-school.

The growth of managed care and changes in physicians' incomes, autonomy, and satisfaction, 1991-1997.

Abstract: Using survey data collected in 1991 and 1997 from a panel of almost 1,500 physicians, we analyzed the relationship between changes in physicians' incomes, practice autonomy, and satisfaction, and the growth of HMOs and physicians' perceived financial incentives. Both the growth of HMOs and financial incentives to reduce services were significantly related to lower income growth, reductions in practice autonomy, and decreases in satisfaction. Changes in income and autonomy were both positively and significantly related to changes in satisfaction. Controlling for changes in income and autonomy, HMO growth was no longer significantly related to changes in satisfaction. Having a perceived financial incentive to reduce services remained a negative and significant determinant of the change in career satisfaction.