Laws that prohibit persons under a domestic violence restraining order from purchasing or possessing a firearm are a primary way to keep guns out of the hands of batterers. In July 2005, the California Attorney General's Task Force on the Local Criminal Justice Response to Domestic Violence issued a report called Keeping the Promise: Victim Safety…

The Western Australian schooling system is in the final phase of the move towards Outcomes Based Education with the Post Compulsory Geography Course of Study commencing in 2007. This move has been somewhat controversial amongst politicians, teachers and parent groups, partly because of the negative press Outcomes Based Education has received in…

The Northern Territory is a semi-autonomous region in the north of Australia. It is one of three Territories and six States that constitute the Commonwealth of Australia. The mainland States and Territories all maintain separate education systems, responsible to the Minister for Education in each State or Territory. In the Northern Territory's…

Last year's Australian sedition laws were the latest and most controversial installment in a raft of legislation since the war on terror was announced five years ago. In this article, the author argues that, while some security measures were necessary, the recent laws have far exceeded the modest scale of the threats that confront Australians. He…

The poor performance of the education sector in Nigeria has become very worrisome. What is the problem? Is the educational policy faulty or is it the implementation that is faulty? What are the implications for national development? These are the issues explored in this paper, based on a literature review approach. The findings blame the…

Current debate on higher education in Britain is focused on its instrumental functions and largely ignores its social and cultural value. This paper considers the "idea of the university" in an historical perspective and critically examines current policy discourse while identifying robust alternatives to the utilitarian argument. It…

Teachers obviously serve as the medium for causing the result of policy as they carry it into schools and classrooms and deliver it to pupils. They mediate between education policy and practice. Knowledge of the exact nature and effects of this vital role is limited. Drawing on a range of research and evaluation of both national and local policy…

Community college reform legislation in California mandates the development and implementation of a comprehensive accountability model. The reform model implemented during the 1991-92 academic year will provide the legislature and state officials with outcomes and process data in five areas of community college services: student access, student…

The late 1980s witnessed the deregulation and decentralization of education in Belgium. To examine some of the effects of this reform, four dimensions of general secondary education in the Flemish community following reforms are provided here. Each dimension is explored in a chapter. The first dimension, the structure of Flemish education,…

This paper argues that involvement in higher education policy research and development is important for college faculty since not doing so leaves the field to others who may not exhibit sufficient objectivity or adequately emphasize the goals of understanding, effectiveness, and efficiency. First, it identifies some general problems of policy…

The thesis at the centre of this book is that education policy in the twenty-first century is the key to global security, sustainability and survival. The events of 11 September 2001 (9/11) have shown that the era of global interdependence and interconnectivity is also an era in which human survival is threatened not only by the actions of states…

Noting the growing global consensus on the need to promote family-based alternatives to institutional care for children and adolescents, this report examines efforts to prevent the institutionalization of children in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Italy, and Spain, focusing on both public and private initiatives, as well as local and national…

This paper offers options to state policymakers interested in a P-16 system of educational reform. P-16 systems are attempts to create a coherent, flexible system of public education that stretches from preschool through the fourth year of college. The range of options for policymakers is broad and depends on existing state programs and plans. The…

This paper presents estimates of the added costs and potential savings associated with reorganizing public education from the current unintegrated system to a fully integrated P-16 system. (P-16 systems are attempts to create a coherent, flexible system of public education that stretches from preschool through the fourth year of college.) Models…

As states face increasing fiscal pressures, many are considering proposals to cut eligibility levels, eliminate outreach, and retract simplified enrollment procedures for children and families eligible for Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). This paper presents evidence on the importance of maintaining gains made in…