Qualitative data from16 offenders were analyzed to understand the process of reintegration from their perspective. The offenders identified six factors that they felt influenced their ability to reintegrate and desist from crime: (1) substance abuse; (2) employment; (3) family support; (4) types of friends; (5) personal motivation to change; and (6) age. A large majority indicated that drug abuse was a major contributor to their criminal activities. Most said supports from family, friends, and treatment services were important for successful reintegration. Those who were successful tended to have both a personal desire to change and a support system that helped them reintegrate and desist from drug use and crime. Support had more impact among those who desired to change and those who received support were more likely to perceive that change is possible.

Living in poverty is associated with high levels of protracted stress associated with health problems. Economic and food insecurity are particularly poignant aspects of poverty and condition the work of securing basic daily needs of families. Recent studies suggest that levels of stress increase as family food needs rise. This paper presents new findings which clarify the relationship of food provisioning to stress levels, by examining actual food provisioning strategies and food insecurity among the Northern Cheyenne Indians of southeastern Montana. Results clearly show that stress varies by types of food acquisition strategies. Contrary to our expectations, more complex strategies, including relatively unpredictable and cumbersome food provisioning activities, are not linked to higher stress levels in our analysis. Controlling for food security levels, households using a combination of local programs and informal subsistence sources are the least stressed, despite the demands of managing a large number of food sources. Households primarily using Food Stamps are the most likely to experience high levels of stress. Interviews with Food Stamp recipients show that potential sources of stress include inadequate allocations of Food Stamps, difficulty achieving and maintaining eligibility, challenges to complying with paperwork and appointment requirements, as well as personal obstacles and community barriers to making food stamps last. Analyses indicate that contradictions between local cultural norms for food provisioning and the realities of food insecurity in this context promote strategies emphasizing greater independence from federal food programs.

Utilizing ethnographic research methods, this case study examines the experiences of an NGO-sponsored health care program in rural Mali. The findings indicate that while, in principle, the organization operates from an alternative development base, it has been unable to decentralize the decision-making process and facilitate community dialogue and participation. Numerous problems resulted, including superficial forms of local participation, lack of community ownership, non-remuneration of health workers and midwives, inadequate training, and ultimately, limited program gains. The analyses highlight the complexity and dynamic nature of health program implementation in a developing context, and suggest several factors important to project success. These include drawing on diverse local perspectives, promoting broad-based participation, and providing culturally appropriate ways to include all community members, particularly women.

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In response to recent recommendations to incorporate social, political, and cultural contexts into employment and poverty analyses for minority populations, this paper draws on several sources and types of data to examine the human capital and labor force participation patterns of Northern Cheyenne Indians and non-Indians in Rosebud County, Montana. Discussions utilizing human capital and economic organization data contribute to clarifying differences in poverty levels of the two populations. However, the "embeddedness" approach utilizes ethnographic data· and recent analyses of schooling to illuminate the social and cultural relations affecting Northern Cheyenne employment patterns as well as the methods by which individuals, families, and communities adapt to the recent declines in economic opportunity and wages on the reservation. Such discussions suggest the need to reconsider policies designed to address American Indian human capital formation and economic development needs.

This research investigates the school performance of Indian students on the Northern Cheyenne reservation using both quantitative and qualitative data. Understanding influences on school performance is important since previous research established its impact on dropout behavior. Statistical analyses assess the relative effects of students' residence in reservation communities, the type of schools students attend (public, Catholic, or tribal), gender, family characteristics, and school experience variables. Findings reveal the importance of students' community residence for explaining performance levels at the two Indian schools, the tribally controlled and Catholic schools, and school experiences for understanding performance of the non-Indian public school students. Qualitative data on contextual factors for communities and schools help to explain how community characteristics such as population size, community access to the school, support for education, and traditional culture interact with the specific schools serving the community. This research suggests that contrary to conventional analyses of American Indian assimilation, the traditional culture, social resources, and interaction patterns of students' communities can have positive effects on students' schooling outcomes.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on the findings of the first stage of a project seeking to improve interprofessional working between general practice and adult social care teams. It develops the current evidence base through findings from focus groups and reflects on the implications of the findings for interprofessional collaboration. Design/methodology/approach – The project involved running seven focus groups with general practice staff and adult social work teams to explore their perceptions and understanding of each other. Findings – The focus groups highlighted that the negative aspects of interprofessional working outweighed the positives. Negatives included perceptions of different value bases, a lack of knowledge about each others’ roles and responsibilities which resulted in resorting to stereotypes, poor interprofessional communication and a sense of an unspoken professional hierarchy with general practitioners (GPs) at the top leading preventing a culture of appropriate challenge. Research limitations/implications – The research has only been conducted with four GP practices and three social work teams that had expressed an interest in improving their interprofessional working. Therefore the findings may not be generalisable. Practical implications – The case study suggests that there is a lack of effective interprofessional working between social care teams and general practice. With the current health and social care agenda focused on integration, this suggests there should be a greater focus on this area. Originality/value – This paper illustrates that despite many years of policy makers promoting better integration, the quality of the interprofessional collaboration between social care teams and general practice remains poor.