Describes the origins and provisions of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA), which addresses community action against toxic and environmental hazards. Federal information policy and the flow of information is discussed, regulatory reform is considered, and participatory information systems are described. (69…

Discusses the dimensions of the arson problem in the United States and the failure of law enforcement by government agencies. Describes three forms of community response to arson in Boston: auxiliary organizations, vigilante groups, and popular justice organizations. (Author/JAC)

Decentralization and budget reduction in the public sector, and globalization and downsizing in the private sector have placed more responsibility on localities to address challenges to the health of their economies, ecosystems, and people. Community development theory and practice are also changing, evidenced by changes in vocabulary. Community…

Examines the success of a Shuswap Indian community in reducing its alcoholism rate from 95 percent to 5 percent. Analyzes and categorizes the community organization methods used by tribal members in relation to the methods of Rothman and Tropman, Alinsky, and Freire. Contains 13 references. (SV)

Crime Prevention deals with the effort to control crime and the fear of crime through a variety of community resources. Research efforts of the Department of Justice, first developed in the early 1970's, focused on increasing knowledge and understanding to promote more effective crime prevention. The National Institute of Justice has sponsored…

Since the 1970s, the Mexican-descent population of Guadalupe, California, has spearheaded a drive for local political representation. This paper examines their struggles and challenges the misconception of Mexican campesino immigrants as politically apathetic in their new homeland. From 1960 to 1990, the percentage of Guadalupe's population that…

Theoretical rationale and rural examples illustrate that local government, directly or through participatory community-based intermediaries, can promote development of community social capital. Important program features are participant autonomy, linkage, and returns on investment. Examples with varying social capital impacts include…

Rural communities are often dependent upon their agricultural bases, which have undergone drastic changes. For communities to remain viable as economic units certain measures must be taken. Strategic planning can assist communities in assessing their situations and in developing plans and implementation schedules. Initially used in the business…

Previous literature investigating community protests of school closings may be divided into four perspectives emphasizing (1) lack of comprehensive planning, (2) lack of participative decision-making, (3) loss of community maintenance (or sense of community), and (4) contextual factors, such as district size and type. The present study examines…

Considers the arguments advanced for an expansion of academic programs incorporating service learning. Briefly describes several programs in relation to the validity of these arguments. Suggests that geography could benefit from incorporating elements of service learning in order to enhance its treatment of ethical issues. (MJP)

This material sets out recent thinking on career development to inform the future of Connexions and education for citizenship. It contains abstracts of significant publications; summaries of background thinking; references to sources of information and ideas; ways to link thinking to practice; and summary charts. Each of 10 sections is in 2 parts.…

Maintains that community enterprise projects help students develop academic, personal, and transferable skills, while enabling underfunded not-for-profit groups to achieve some of their goals. Provides several examples of programs and suggests methods of improvement. (MJP)

Maintains that civic competence and socially responsible behavior have been among the 10 developmental tasks of adolescence since the 1950s. Contends that the decline of interest in political socialization must be shared by both political science and developmental psychology. Discusses community service as a measure of civic competence. (CFR)