Re-entry Rates Research Articles

Balancing reunification and reentry goals

Using event history analysis, this study examines the relationship between reunification and reentry rates for 33 Oklahoma counties with 100 or more reunifications occurring in 2002. After testing for and finding no significant linear, quadratic, or cubic relationships between median time to reunification and percent reentry at 12 months for the 33 counties, we tested for correlations between specific reunification time intervals and reentry rates. Consistent with most research in this area, we found a relationship between early reunification (before 6 months) and higher reentry rates. In a significant departure from existing research, we found the converse of the expected relationship between very early reunification and reentry rates: lower reentry rates for counties reunifying a majority of children within 30 days of removal from the home. Possible explanations for this finding are explored, and recommendations for changing child welfare outcome measures are discussed.

A mathematical model of hematopoiesis: II. Cyclical neutropenia

Cyclical neutropenia is a dynamical disease of the hematopoietic system marked by an oscillation in circulating leukocyte (e.g. neutrophil) numbers to near zero levels and then back to normal. This oscillation is also mirrored in the platelets and reticulocytes which oscillate with the same period. Cyclical neutropenia has an animal counterpart in the grey collie. Using the mathematical model of the hematopoietic system of Colijn and Mackey [A mathematical model of hematopoiesis: I. Periodic chronic myelogenous leukemia. Companion paper to the present paper.] we have determined what parameters are necessary to mimic laboratory and clinical data on untreated grey collies and humans, and also what changes in these parameters are necessary to fit data during treatment with granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF). Compared to the normal steady-state values, we found that the major parameter changes that mimic untreated cyclical neutropenia correspond to a decreased amplification (increased apoptosis) within the proliferating neutrophil precursor compartment, and a decrease in the maximal rate of re-entry into the proliferative phase of the stem cell compartment. For the data obtained during G-CSF treatment, good fits were obtained only when parameters were altered that would imply that G-CSF led to higher amplification (lower rate of apoptosis) in the proliferating neutrophil precursors, and a elevated rate of differentiation into the neutrophil line.

Responding to Prisoner Reentry, Recidivism, and Incarceration of Inmates of Color

This article introduces a systemic model for rehabilitation that uses the expungement procedure, a preexisting statute, as a tool to reduce incarceration and recidivism and help probationers succeed in their reentry into mainstream society as taxpaying citizens and concomitantly alleviate the burden on taxpayers for maintaining prisoners. It culminates with a call to the African American and Hispanic communities to partner with the penal system and lawmakers to find solutions to the devastating effects of increasingly high imprisonment, recidivism, and prison reentry rates of inmates of color on children, families, and communities.

SIGNFICANT OTHERS VISITING OTHERS INMATES: SEX AND RELATIONAL DIFFERENCES

ABSTRACT Prison visitation programs provide correctional administrators with low-cost programs that facilitate inmate-community contacts, and are related with increased rates of successful re-entry. Previous research has addressed structural barriers to successful programs, but few have addressed the experiences of visitors. Drawing on data from 372 visitors to a medium security men's prison the present study assesses the experiences of visitors, with special attention to women visiting significant others. Results show that significant others are not significantly different from other visitors in terms of frequency of visitation. Significant others do present a different profile and experience the visitation environment less positively than other categories of visitors.

The role of the cytoskeleton in capacitative calcium entry in myenteric glia.

Capacitative calcium entry (CCE) is the process by which intracellular calcium is replenished from the external milieu upon depletion of intracellular stores. CCE is thought to participate in chemotaxis, proliferation and cell signalling. A physical interaction between intracellular stores and the plasma membrane is postulated to regulate CCE. We hypothesized that cytoskeletal disruption alters this interaction, inhibiting CCE in enteric glia. Cultured myenteric glia from neonatal guinea-pigs were treated with cytochalasin D (10 micro mol L-1), a microfilament disrupting agent, nocodazole (20 micro mol L-1), a microtubule disrupting agent, or vehicle (dimethyl sulphoxide). Intracellular calcium changes were measured using fura-2 microfluorimetry. To evaluate the rate of cation re-entry, barium was substituted for calcium because barium is not sequestered internally. Cytochalasin D-treated glia had diminished CCE responses (57 +/- 3 nmol L-1) compared with controls (97 +/- 7 nmol L-1) as did nocodazole-treated glia (30 +/- 2 nmol L-1) vs controls (77 +/- 6 nmol L-1). The proportion of cells demonstrating CCE abolition was greater in the cytochalasin (50 +/- 8%) and nocodazole-treated (89 +/- 2%) groups compared with controls (21 +/- 2%, 40 +/- 9%, respectively). Cytochalasin D and nocodazole treatment diminished the rate of cation re-entry based on diminished barium entry in treated vs control cells. From this study, we conclude that disruption of cytoskeletal elements diminishes calcium influx essential to calcium store repletion in myenteric glia.

How long are exposures to poor neighborhoods? The long-term dynamics of entry and exit from poor neighborhoods

Although discussions of poor neighborhoods often assume that their residents are a distinct population trapped in impoverished environments for long durations, no past research has examined longitudinal patterns of residence in poor neighborhoods beyond single-year transitions. Using data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics from 1979 to 1990 matched to census tract data, this paper provides the first estimates of duration of stay and rates of re-entry in poor (20%+ poor) and extremely poor (40%+ poor) census tracts. The results indicate that (1) there is great racial inequality in longitudinal patterns of exposure to poorneighborhoods – mostAfrican Americans will live in a poor neighborhood over a 10 year span, contrasted to only 10 percent of whites; (2) exits from high poverty neighborhoods are not uncommon, but re-entries to poor neighborhoods following an exit are also very common, especially among African Americans; and (3) length of spell in a poor neighborhood is positively associated with low income, female headship, and, most of all, black race. Little of the racial difference is accounted for by racial difference in poverty status or family structure. Implications for research and public policy are discussed.

Resultados de dos programas con intervención domiciliaria dirigidos a pacientes con enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica evolucionada

Exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most frequent causes of hospital admission. We examined the results and feasibility of two programs conducted by a hospital respiratory unit aimed to reduce both the length of hospital stay and the number of hospital admissions for COPD acute exacerbation. a) Assisted hospital discharge program: Patients admitted for acute exacerbation who met our criteria for early discharge were sent home with the support of a respiratory nurse. Home visits were carried out and direct phone contact with the nurse and physician was provided during a limited period of 6 weeks. Outcome variables studied were length of hospital admission and need for hospital reentry. b) Exacerbation prevention program: A group of patients with severe COPD and at least 3 hospital admissions for exacerbation during the previous year were included. These patients underwent an educational program and were given unlimited direct phone access to the respiratory nurse and physician. When necessary, home visits were carried out. The main outcome variable of this program was the number of hospital admissions. a) Assisted hospital discharge program: A total of 97 patients were included. The mean length of hospital stay was 5.4 1.7 days, which was significantly shorter than the previous average length of stay in our respiratory unit for a diagnosis of COPD exacerbation (8.52 days). The rate of hospital reentry was 17% (within the first 3 months). b) Exacerbation prevention program: 23 patients were enrolled. In this group, the number of hospital admissions decreased significantly from 5.0 1.8 to 1.7 2.4 per year (p = 0.001). Visits to the emergency department were also decreased, from 1.2 1.6 to 0.4 1.6 per patient (p = 0.05). Finally, the length of hospital stay decreased from 38 17 to 16 20 days (p = 0.0001). A combined use of hospital resources and home care programs which are specifically addressed to severe COPD patients can reduce the need for hospital admission.

Who are the Chronic Poor? Evidence on the Extent and the Composition of Chronic Poverty in Germany

Based on a multiple spells approach, this paper studies the extent and the composition of chronic poverty in Germany. The results indicate that about one third of cross-sectional poverty in a given year is chronic. The characteristics that are most closely associated with long-term poverty are economic inactivity and pensioner status, while the number of children and the gender of the household head do not seem to have a systematic effect. This is in contrast to cross-sectional results where the biggest poverty risk is usually unemployment and a large number of children, while pensioners do not face particularly high poverty risks. Estimates from a multiple spells hazard model further suggest that 6% of the population have unobserved characteristics that lead to low poverty exit and high re-entry rates, making these individuals likely candidates for chronic poverty. A comparison with results for Great Britain and the United States suggests that poverty is less persistent in Germany.

Mediastinal chest drain clearance for cardiac surgery.

Cardiac tamponade may occur following cardiac surgery as a result of blood or fluid collecting in the pericardial space compressing the heart and reducing cardiac output. Mediastinal chest drains (including pericardial drains) are inserted as standard post-operative practice following cardiac surgery to assist the clearance of blood from the pericardial space and to prevent cardiac tamponade. Manipulation techniques including milking, stripping, fanfolding and tapping may be applied to the tubes to keep them from blocking. Evidence is required as to the safest and most effective means of preventing chest tube blockage and preventing cardiac tamponade. To compare different methods of chest drain clearance (i.e. varying levels of suction or suction in combination with milking, stripping, fanfolding and tapping of chest drains) in preventing cardiac tamponade in patients following cardiac surgery. We searched the Cochrane Heart Group specialised register, the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (CCTR) (Issue 1, 2001) The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR), the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness (DARE), Issue 1, 2001, MEDLINE (1966 to May Week 1, 2001), EMBASE (1980 to 2001 Week 35), CINAHL (1982 to March 2001), the Clinical Trials site of the NIH, (USA) (10.09.01) and reference lists of articles. Randomised, quasi-randomised or systematically allocated clinical trials of chest tube manipulation techniques in adults and children with mediastinal chest drains following cardiac surgery were included. Two reviewers independently assessed trial quality and extracted data. Study authors were contacted for additional information where required. Adverse effects information was collected from the trials. Three studies with a total of 471 participants were included. There was no data, however, which could be included in a meta-analysis. This was due to inadequate data provision by two of the studies and where adequate data were provided there were no common interventions or outcomes to pool. On the basis of single studies there was no difference between groups on incidence of chest tube blockage, heart rate, cardiac tamponade or incidence of surgical re-entry. There are insufficient studies which compare differing methods of chest drain clearance to support or refute the relative efficacy of the various techniques in preventing cardiac tamponade. Nor can the need to manipulate chest drains be supported or refuted by results from RCT's.

Mediastinal chest drain clearance for cardiac surgery

Cardiac tamponade may occur following cardiac surgery as a result of blood or fluid collecting in the pericardial space compressing the heart and reducing cardiac output. Mediastinal chest drains (including pericardial drains) are inserted as standard post-operative practice following cardiac surgery to assist the clearance of blood from the pericardial space and to prevent cardiac tamponade. To prevent chest tubes from blocking and so causing tamponade nurses manipulate them to prevent or remove clots. Manipulation methods including milking, stripping, fanfolding and tapping may be applied to the tubes to keep them from blocking. Evidence is required as to the safest and most effective means of preventing chest tube blockage and preventing cardiac tamponade. To compare different methods of chest drain clearance (i.e. varying levels of suction or suction in combination with milking, stripping, fanfolding and tapping of chest drains) in preventing cardiac tamponade in patients following cardiac surgery. Over both the initial review and the 2004 revision, we searched the Cochrane Heart Group trials register, the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (CCTR) (Issue 4, 2003) The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR), the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness (DARE), Issue 4, 2003, MEDLINE (1966 to Nov Week 2, 2003), EMBASE (1980 to 2003 Week 47), CINAHL (1982 to Nov 2003), the Clinical Trials site of the NIH, (USA) (24.11.03) and reference lists of articles. Randomised, quasi-randomised or systematically allocated clinical trials of chest tube manipulation methods in adults and children with mediastinal chest drains following cardiac surgery were included. Two reviewers independently assessed trial quality and extracted data. Study authors were contacted for additional information where required. Adverse effects information was collected from the trials. Three studies with a total of 471 participants were included. There was no data, however, which could be included in a meta-analysis. This was due to inadequate data provision by two of the studies. Where adequate data were provided there were no common interventions or outcomes to pool. On the basis of single studies there was no evidence of a difference between groups on incidence of chest tube blockage, heart rate, cardiac tamponade or incidence of surgical re-entry. There are insufficient studies which compare differing methods of chest drain clearance to support or refute the relative efficacy of the various methods in preventing cardiac tamponade. Nor can the need to manipulate chest drains be supported or refuted by results from RCT's.

Progressing Through Progresa: An Impact Assessment of a School Subsidy Experiment

A new anti-poverty program in Mexico, PROGRESA, provides monetary transfers to families that are contingent upon their children's regular attendance at school. The benefit levels are intended to offset the opportunity costs of not sending children to school and vary with the grade level and gender of the child. The initial phase of the program was implemented as a randomized social experiment. This paper uses a Markov schooling transition model applied to the experimental data to assess the impact of the educational subsidy program along several dimensions, including effects on initial ages of school entry, dropout rates, grade repetition rates, and school reentry rates. The findings show that the program effectively reduces drop-out rates and facilitates progression through the grades, particularly during the transition from primary to secondary school. Results based on a simulation evaluating the effects of longer terms of exposure to the program indicate that if children were to participate in the program between ages 6 to 14, they would experience an increase of 0.6 years in average educational attainment levels years and an increase of 19% in the percentage of children attending junior secondary school.

Effects of simulated ischemia on spiral wave stability.

Regional hyperkalemia during acute myocardial ischemia is a major factor promoting electrophysiological abnormalities leading to ventricular fibrillation (VF). However, steep action potential duration restitution, recently proposed to be a major determinant of VF, is typically decreased rather than increased by hyperkalemia and acute ischemia. To investigate this apparent contradiction, we simulated the effects of regional hyperkalemia and other ischemic components (anoxia and acidosis) on the stability of spiral wave reentry in simulated two-dimensional cardiac tissue by use of the Luo-Rudy ventricular action potential model. We found that the hyperkalemic "ischemic" area promotes wavebreak in the surrounding normal tissue by accelerating the rate of spiral wave reentry, even after the depolarized ischemic area itself has become unexcitable. Furthermore, wavebreak and fibrillation can be prevented if the dynamical instability of the normal tissue is reduced significantly by targeting electrical restitution properties, suggesting a novel therapeutic approach.

Cell kinetic status of haematopoietic stem cells.

The haematopoietic stem cell (HSC) population supports a tremendous cellular production over the course of an animal's lifetime, e.g. adult humans produce their body weight in red cells, white cells and platelets every 7 years, while the mouse produces about 60% of its body weight in the course of a 2 year lifespan. Understanding how the HSC population carries this out is of interest and importance, and a first step in that understanding involves the characterization of HSC kinetics. Using previously published continuous labelling data (of Bradford et al. 1997 and Cheshier et al. 1999) from mouse HSC and a standard G0 model for the cell cycle, the steady state parameters characterizing these HSC populations are derived. It is calculated that in the mouse the differentiation rate ranges between about 0.01 and 0.02, the rate of cell re-entry from G0 back into the proliferative phase is between 0.02 and 0.05, the rate of apoptosis from the proliferative phase is between 0.07 and 0.23 (all units are days(-1)), and the duration of the proliferative phase is between 1.4 and 4.3 days. These values are compared with previously obtained values derived from the modelling by Abkowitz and colleagues of long-term haematopoietic reconstitution in the cat (Abkowitz et al. 1996) and the mouse (Abkowitz et al. 2000). It is further calculated using the estimates derived in this paper and other data on mice that between the HSC and the circulating blood cells there are between 17 and 19.5 effective cell divisions giving a net amplification of between approximately 170 000 and approximately 720 000.

CHILD ABUSE SELECTIONChild Abuse and Neglect (1999) T. Terling. The efficacy of family unification practices: Re-entry rates and correlates of re-entry for abused and neglected children reunited with their families. Vol. 423, No. 12, pp. 1359–1370.

<b>CHILD ABUSE SELECTION</b><b><i>Child Abuse and Neglect (1999)</i></b> T. Terling. <i>The efficacy of family unification practices</i>: <i>Re-entry rates and correlates of re-entry for abused and neglected children reunited with their families</i>. Vol. 423, No. 12, pp. 1359–1370.

The efficacy of family reunification practices: reentry rates and correlates of reentry for abused and neglected children reunited with their families

Objective: Since the 1980s Child Protective Services has increasingly relied on family reunification for abused/neglected children rather than long term foster care or adoption. While family reunification practices are controversial, little research is available to inform the debate. This research explores the efficacy of these practices. Methods: This study utilizes two CPS data sources and both quantitative and qualitative methodologies to identify reentry rates and correlates of reentry for abused and neglected children returned to their families by CPS. Results: System reentry due to additional maltreatment is considerable. Thirty-seven percent of the children reunited with their families reenter the system within 3 1 2 years. Correlates of reentry are identified as; abuse type, CPS history, parental competency, race, criminal history, substance abuse, and social support. Notably, assessments of risk made by caseworkers are found to be unrelated to reentry. Conclusions: The high reentry rate and the limitations of current risk assessment procedures suggest that CPS family reunification practices have not been entirely successful. The identification of specific risks of reentry, such as those revealed in this study, will be helpful in assessing risk on cases. In addition, future studies should explore the systemic deficiencies that contribute to the additional maltreatment that occurs for a sizable proportion of the children served by the system.

The Interaction of UI and Welfare, and the Dynamics of Welfare Participation of Single Parents

The main goal of this paper is to analyze the impact of the unemployment insurance (UI) program on the rates of entry into and exit from welfare by single-parent households in Quebec. The database we use comes from Quebec welfare records and comprises over 11,180 single-parent households, most of which (92 percent) are headed by a woman. Our results show that tightening the conditions of eligibility to UI causes a reduction of exits from welfare, especially for the older group, and an increase in re-entries. Similarly, a cut in the UI replacement rate raises the rate of re-entry into welfare. Our results indicate that cuts in the UI program may partially explain the increase in the welfare participation of lone mothers observed recently.

Vulnerable Seniors: Unions, Tenure, and Wages following Permanent Job Loss

In contrast to nonunion workers, reemployment wages of workers displaced from unionized jobs decline with tenure on the lost job. This finding cannot easily be explained by firm‐ or industry‐specific human capital accumulation, deferred‐pay policies, standard matching models, or a correlation between tenure and reentry rates into unionized jobs. Possible explanations include negative selection of senior union workers and a negative causal effect of unionism on workers' alternative skills. Despite a much flatter predisplacement tenure‐wage profile, displaced union workers' wage losses increase with tenure at a rate comparable to or higher than those of nonunion workers.

Entry or exit? A transition-probability approach to explaining the high prevalence of single motherhood among black women

I analyze the prevalence of single motherhood among black and non-Hispanic white women in terms of differences in entry and exit. Higher initial entry rates among black women, especially through unpartnered childbearing, account for slightly more than half the difference between blacks and whites in the prevalence of single motherhood. The remainder of the difference is due to black single mothers' much lower rates of exit through union formation and to their very high rates of reentry through dissolution of these later unions. Entry and exit rates through the 1990s imply a widening racial gap.

Reunification and reentry of foster children

This article reports the results of a case study of foster children in one county in Ohio. It examines questions pertaining to the child, family, and placement use characteristics associated with the timing of children's reunification and, for those who are reunified, reentry into foster care. The sample includes 2,616 children first entering care in 1992 and in 1993. The study design is longitudinal. Study data are drawn from the county's public child welfare agency's management information system. Event history analyses of these data revealed characteristics associated with a slower rate of reunification and a faster rate of reentry. Strengths and limitations of study findings are discussed. Implications for future research are drawn.

Long-Term Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Additional Autogenic Training in the Psychotherapy of Depressive Disorders

This paper presents the results of a 3-year follow-up study on the effectiveness of additional autogenic training (AT; a psychophysiological self-control method using self-inductions of physical and mental relaxation) in the psychotherapy of outpatients with depressive disorders. Subjects were 55 patients (aged 22-69 years) with depressive disorders diagnosed according to ICD-10. Subjects were randomized to one of three groups: Group A participated in 40 single psychotherapy sessions over a period of 20 weeks; Group B learned AT in the first 10 weeks and had 20 single psychotherapy sessions as well as AT practice in the second 10 weeks; Group C was the waiting-list control group in the first 10 weeks and had 20 single psychotherapy sessions as well as AT learning in the second 10 weeks. Tests for depressive symptoms (BDI) and psychosomatic complaints (AT-SYM) were given before the start of treatment, after 10 weeks, after 20 weeks, as well as 8 months and 3 years after the end of treatment. In addition, at both follow-ups information were gathered on disease course, relapses, psychotherapy and medical treatments, as well as AT practice. Long-term follow-up shows that controlled and supervised use of AT before or in combination with psychotherapy has more positive effects than psychotherapy alone. Compared to psychotherapy without AT (Group A), combined psychotherapy and AT (Groups B and C) resulted in significantly lower rates of relapse and treatment reentry as well as in significantly more stable positive treatment effects in the reduction of depression and psychosomatic symptoms at the second follow-up.