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The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world. Since the mid-1970s the U.S. prison population has quadrupled, reflecting one of the largest policy experiments of the twentieth century. Researchers and policymakers are just beginning to understand the effect that this dramatic expansion has had on U.S. society. Because African Americans and Hispanics are incarcerated at a higher rate than whites, it is reasonable to assume that rising imprisonment has contributed to existing racial inequalities in U.S. society. Earlier work has generally corroborated this assumption,…
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This excerpt from the Federal Register presents federal regulatory guidelines for working with federally recognized Indian tribes. It reviews the purpose of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and offers overarching principles for working with federally recognized Indian tribes and guidelines for consultation and communication with tribes, culture and mutual respect, nation-building and effective delivery of human services to Indian communities, coordination and outreach, administrative data management, and sustainability.
There are a number of areas that marriage and relationship education program providers must address when designing and implementing a program for Native American communities. There have been a number of lessons learned from Native American cultural experts and program practitioners who have developed culturally relevant marriage education programs. These services can be effective for Native Americans living on reservations and for those who are not.There is great diversity within the Native American community. The various tribes have distinct traditions, customs and languages. This Tip Sheet…
Although Asian Americans represent different populations in terms of culture, language and immigration trends, they share many similarities in values and belief systems such as a cultural emphasis on education, natural healing, family harmony and respect of human dignity. For purposes of this Tip Sheet, the terms Asian and Asian American are interchangeable; include Pacific Islanders; and can reflect either new immigrants, immigrants who have been residing in the U.S. for an extended period of time, or people with Asian heritage who could be 2nd, 3rd or 4th generation. Further, the great…
Recruiting and retaining men from any culture in a family services program or entity that has traditionally served women and children can, at best, be considered a token gesture. Admittedly, there are many emotions surrounding the topic of how to get men to do what they are "supposed to do!" Agencies designed to serve men are scarce, and professionals dedicated to understanding male issues are rare commodities. In addition, men do not tend to line up for services delivered by organizations, agencies, counselors, group therapists, marriage educators and/or ministers for family strengthening.…
Marriage education generally offers useful skills for couples. Nevertheless, practitioners may need to adapt curriculum materials to help participants learn and remember lessons. This tip sheet provides strategies for fine tuning programs toward the African American community. The tips can be applied to any curriculum, but it is important to note that marriage educators should know their audience in order to determine which strategies will create the most positive results. (Author abstract)
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This issue of a newsletter for child welfare workers in Colorado describes strategies for developing a rapport with families from other cultures, fathers, and teens. The articles review the importance of client-worker collaboration to the success of assessments and services. Professionals who are working with culturally diverse families are advised to learn about values and experiences from a variety of resources, including parents themselves. Cultural differences should be respected and integrated into treatment when appropriate. Techniques for including fathers in casework include…
