Legislation

About: Legislation is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 62664 publications have been published within this topic receiving 585188 citations. The topic is also known as: law & act.

The State and the Family: A Comparative Analysis of Family Policies in Industrialized Countries

Abstract: In a number of industrialized countries, on the assumption that fertility remains at or close to present levels, populations will start to decline, in some cases quite rapidly in the near to medium future. Many governments are alarmed by this prospect, especially since it goes hand in hand with a further and acute ageing of the population. From the fears in the 1930s about population and family decline, to the fears in the 1970s about over-population, and contemporary talk of 'family-friendly' policies, governments' attitudes towards and interventions in family policy have changed considerably. What is today referred to as family policy differs widely from the first forms of government support before the Second World War. This book argues that demographic changes have been a major force in bringing population and family issues on to the political agenda. The decline in fertility, the increase in divorce rates and lone-parenthood, and the entry of women into the labour force have all reduced the relevance of systems of state support aimed at traditional families. From this perspective, the author examines the changes that have affected families over the past 100 years, and the policies that have been adopted by different governments in response to these changes. Data from twenty-two industrialized countries are used to provide an original analysis of legislation, initiatives, and measures aimed at better supporting families. The book assembles arguments from demography, sociology, and economics to explain population policies, their origins and aims. It shows that despite major similarities across countries in the ways family policy has evolved, and in the ways governments have viewed and supported families, there are major dissimilarities shaped by country-specific events, ideologies, and circumstances. It concludes by drawing a typology of models of family policy bases on these inter-country differences.

The Swedish Law that Prohibits the Purchase of Sexual Services Best Practices for Prevention of Prostitution and Trafficking in Human Beings

Abstract: After several years of public debate initiated by the Swedish women’s movement, the Law That Prohibits the Purchase of Sexual Services came into force on January 1, 1999. The Law is the first attempt by a country to address the root cause of prostitution and trafficking in beings: the demand, the men who assume the right to purchase persons for prostitution purposes. This ground breaking law is a cornerstone of Swedish efforts to create a contemporary, democratic society where women and girls can live lives free of all forms of male violence. In combination with public education, awareness-raising campaigns, and victim support, the Law and other legislation establish a zero tolerance policy for prostitution and trafficking in human beings. When the buyers risk punishment, the number of men who buy prostituted persons decreases, and the local prostitution markets become less lucrative. Traffickers will then choose other and more profitable destinations.

Dietary Goals for the United States

Abstract: The announcement on Jan 14, 1977, of Dietary Goals for the United States by the Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs' may be a turning point in the role of government in determining nutrition priorities for the American people. Before commenting on these goals and their political source, I would like to review the events that led to this controversial announcement and the events that led to its subsequent modification. Since 1968, Sen George McGovern (Democrat, SD) and his committee have been concerned with bridging the gap between the food and farm interests in the Agriculture Committee and the health, welfare, and research interests in the Labor and Public Welfare Committee. They were provided with oversight responsibilities in nutrition and initiated legislation concerned with preventing hunger. Among the accomplishments of the committee had been expansion of the food stamp program, the school lunch program, the summer food program,

Internet Seals of Approval: Effects on Online Privacy Policies and Consumer Perceptions

Abstract: The use of Internet seal of approval programs has been touted as an alternative to potential legislation concerning consumer-related online privacy practices. Questions have been raised, however, regarding the effectiveness of such programs with respect to maintaining privacy standards and aiding online consumers. The authors examine these issues in a series of three studies, the first of which is an exploratory application of Federal Trade Commission privacy standards to various online privacy policies in an effort to determine the ability of seal of approval program participation to act as a valid cue to a firm's stated privacy practices. The second and third studies are experiments designed to ascertain how online firm participation in Internet seal of approval programs affects consumers. Implications for consumer policy are discussed.

The threat to medical-records research.

Abstract: The potential for misuse of personal information by insurers and employers has heightened concern about the confidentiality of medical records. Despite the absence of documented abuses related to approved research projects,1 legislation has been passed in Minnesota that restricts access to medical records for research purposes, and similar measures are proposed in some federal legislation. Such restrictions pose an obvious threat to patient-oriented investigations, such as observational outcome studies, that are based on existing medical-records data and require personal identifiers to link initial interventions with ultimate results. Clinicians and patients alike mostly take for granted the availability of this information, . . .