Article Commentary: Secondhand Smoking in Jordan: Clearing the Air for One of the Highest Tobacco Prevalence Countries in the Middle East

As the rate of tobacco consumption in Jordan increases, Jordanian policy makers are urged to develop guidelines on smoking exposures. This paper is concerned with the magnitude of exposure and harm caused by secondhand smoke (SHS) on childbearing women and young children. Despite a strict policy that limits tobacco advertising and efforts by the Ministry of Health, which include cessation programs and education on the adverse effect of smoking, the country sustains its high smoking rate, especially among men. According to the data gathered in this paper, special concern should be directed toward children's SHS exposure. Only four recent studies on SHS exposure among Jordanian women and children were encountered. Moreover, Jordan has legislation that bans smoking in public institutions; however, the enforcement of the law is extremely poor in most locations. Recommendations are presented to aid policy makers and law enforcement agencies in addressing this issue.

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Buffer Stock Operations and Well-Being: The Case of Smallholder Farmers in Ghana

Journal of Happiness Studies ◽

10.1007/s10902-021-00391-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Emmanuel Abokyi ◽

Dirk Strijker ◽

Kofi Fred Asiedu ◽

Michiel N. Daams

Keyword(s):

Stock Price ◽

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Well Being ◽

Buffer Stock ◽

Least Square ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Stabilization Policy ◽

Environmental Aspects ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Aid Policy

AbstractThis study investigates the possible causal relationship between buffer stock operations in Ghanaian agriculture and the well-being of smallholder farmers in a developing world setting. We analyze the differences in the objective and subjective well-being of smallholder farmers who do or do not participate in a buffer stock price stabilization policy initiative, using self-reported assessments of 507 farmers. We adopt a two-stage least square instrumental variable estimation to account for possible endogeneity. Our results provide evidence that participation in buffer stock operations improves the objective and subjective well-being of smallholder farmers by 20% and 15%, respectively. Also, with estimated coefficient of 1.033, we find a significant and robust relationship between objective well-being and subjective well-being among smallholder farmers. This relationship implies that improving objective well-being enhances the subjective well-being of the farmers. We also find that the activities of intermediaries decrease both the objective and subjective well-being of farmers. This study demonstrates that economic, social, and environmental aspects of agricultural life could constitute priorities for public policy in improving well-being, given their strong correlation with the well-being of farmers. Based on the results of this study, we provide a better understanding, which may aid policy-makers, that public buffer stockholding operations policy is a viable tool for improving the well-being of smallholder farmers in a developing country.

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The Influence of the Media on Policies in Practice: Hungarian Refugee Resettlement in the Netherlands in 1956

Journal of Migration History ◽

10.1163/23519924-00301002 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 22-53

Author(s):

Marlou Schrover ◽

Tycho Walaardt

Keyword(s):

The Netherlands ◽

Government Policies ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Supportive Role ◽

The Press ◽

Freedom Fighters ◽

The Media ◽

Women And Children ◽

Changes Over Time

This article analyses newspaper coverage, government policies and policy practices during the 1956 Hungarian refugee crisis. There were surprisingly few differences between newspapers in the coverage of this refugee migration, and few changes over time. The role of the press was largely supportive of government policies, although the press did criticise the selection of refugees. According to official government guidelines, officials should not have selected, but in practice this is what they attempted to do. The refugees who arrived in the Netherlands did not live up to the image the press, in its supportive role, had created: there were too few freedom fighters, women and children. This article shows that the press had an influence because policy makers did make adjustments. However, in practice selection was not what the media assumed it was, and the corrections were not what the media had aimed for.

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Witness protection in the criminal justice system of the Baham

Revista Acadêmica Escola Superior do Ministério Público do Ceará ◽

10.54275/raesmpce.v12i1.23 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 167-194

Author(s):

David Baxter Bakibinga

Keyword(s):

Criminal Justice ◽

National Level ◽

Legal Framework ◽

The Bahamas ◽

Protection Measures ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Criminal Justice Systems ◽

The Government ◽

Aid Policy

Witness protection is now firmly entrenched in the modern criminal justice systems especially in jurisdictions dealing with organized and violent crime. The decision by the government of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas to enact legislation in respect to procedural and non-procedural measures for protection of witnesses is commendable, given that violent and organized crime is rife in the country. This article highlights the basic tenets of witness protection and the legal framework, both at the international and national level. It also addresses the role of key duty bearers in the process of witness protection. Furthermore the procedural and non-procedural measures taken by law enforcement officers in The Bahamas are explored. And lastly, the challenges encountered in the implementation of the witness protection measures in The Bahamas are examined. This is intended to aid policy makers, advisers and those entrusted with decision making, like parliamentarians, to devise means and ways to eradicate and/or mitigate challenges faced in the implementation of witness protection measures in The Bahamas.

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PROMOTING STATISTICS IN THE ERA OF DATA SCIENCE AND DATA-DRIVEN INNOVATIONS

STATISTICS EDUCATION RESEARCH JOURNAL ◽

10.52041/serj.v19i1.132 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

pp. 226-237

Author(s):

IBRAHIM SIDI ZAKARI

Keyword(s):

Communication Skills ◽

Data Science ◽

Statistics Education ◽

Effective Interaction ◽

Oral Communication ◽

Public Institutions ◽

Future Generations ◽

Data Driven ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Research Journal

This paper aims at highlighting initiatives in developing future statisticians directed at high-school and university levels in Niger. More specifically, it focuses on collaborations, partnerships, outreach initiatives and supporting mechanisms, which may contribute to increase engagement and interest in and attraction to the field of statistics in the era of data science and data-driven innovations. Providing sufficient exposure to modern statistical analysis, computational and graphical tools, written and oral communication skills, and the ever-growing interdisciplinary use of statistics are key activities for building future generations of statisticians. Furthermore, current curricula as well as pedagogical approaches, teaching materials, and assessment methods need to be re-thought in order tomeet the requirements of the skills needed in the 21st century ensuring effective interaction with scientists, public institutions, industry, civil society, and policy makers. First published February 2020 at Statistics Education Research Journal Archives

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Cloud Crime and Fraud

Cyber Law, Privacy, and Security ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-8897-9.ch055 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 1159-1175

Author(s):

Nimisha Singh

Keyword(s):

Cloud Computing ◽

Law Enforcement ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Organizational Level ◽

Law Enforcement Agencies ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Security Breaches ◽

Recent Developments ◽

Standards And Guidelines ◽

Developed Nations

Changing trends in IT industry are opening new avenues. With the scalability, flexibility, and economic advantage offered by cloud computing, more and more organizations are moving towards cloud for their applications. With all the benefits of cloud computing, it poses a danger of digital crime and security breaches. These challenges are compounded by the fact that cybercrime and the transgressors transcend geographical boundaries while the law enforcement does not. This paper tries to focus on how cloud computing is rising to the challenges thrown in from cyber space and recent developments to avoid and mitigate cloud fraud and abuse. Taking counter measures at organizational level, will alleviate and up to an extent eliminate security breaches. With current knowledge on policy and standards adopted by developed nations, the policy makers and law enforcement agencies in developing countries can work towards formulating standards and guidelines for awareness on threats, vulnerabilities and effectiveness of security controls to respond to risk.

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Cloud Crime and Fraud

Cyber Security and Threats ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-5634-3.ch066 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 1334-1350

Author(s):

Nimisha Singh

Keyword(s):

Cloud Computing ◽

Law Enforcement ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Organizational Level ◽

Law Enforcement Agencies ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Security Breaches ◽

Recent Developments ◽

Standards And Guidelines ◽

Developed Nations

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Evaluating smoking control policies in the e-cigarette era: a modelling study

Tobacco Control ◽

10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2019-054951 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. tobaccocontrol-2019-054951 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Thi Thanh Tra Doan ◽

Ken Wei Tan ◽

Borame Sue Lee Dickens ◽

Yin Ai Lean ◽

Qianyu Yang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Smoking Prevalence ◽

Transition Probabilities ◽

Electronic Cigarettes ◽

Tobacco Consumption ◽

Quality Adjusted Life Year ◽

Control Policies ◽

Policy Makers ◽

The Usa ◽

Laissez Faire ◽

The Uk

BackgroundIn jurisdictions in which electronic cigarettes are currently prohibited, policy makers must weigh the potentially lower risk compared with conventional cigarettes against the risk of initiation of e-cigarettes among non-smokers.MethodsWe simulated a synthetic population over a 50-year time horizon with an open cohort model using data from Singapore, a country where e-cigarettes are currently prohibited, and data from the USA, the UK and Japan. Using the smoking prevalence and the quality-adjusted life year gained calculated, we compared tobacco control policies without e-cigarettes—namely, raising the minimum legal age (MLA), introducing a smoke-free generation (SFG) and tax rises on tobacco consumption—with policies legalising e-cigarettes, either taking a laissez-faire approach or under some form of restriction. We also evaluated combinations of these policies.ResultsRegardless of the country informing the transition probabilities to and from e-cigarette use in Singapore, a laissez-faire e-cigarette policy could reduce the smoking prevalence in the short term, but it is not as effective as other policies in the long term. The most effective single policies evaluated were SFG and aggressive tax rises; the most effective combination of policies considered was MLA plus moderate tax rises and e-cigarettes on prescription.ConclusionPolicy makers in jurisdictions in which e-cigarettes are not yet established may be advised not to prioritise e-cigarettes in their tobacco end-game strategy, unless their use can be restricted to current smokers seeking to quit.

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Are There Barriers for Professional Development of Women Dentists? A Qualitative Study in Saudi Arabia

JDR Clinical & Translational Research ◽

10.1177/2380084416685083 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

pp. 119-131 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

M. Rajeh ◽

B. Nicolau ◽

P. Pluye ◽

A. Qutob ◽

S. Esfandiari

Keyword(s):

Professional Development ◽

Saudi Arabia ◽

Qualitative Content Analysis ◽

Family Needs ◽

Leadership Positions ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Saudi Women ◽

Qualitative Descriptive ◽

Dental Schools ◽

Aid Policy

Globally, there is an upward trend in the number of women applying to dental schools and entering the profession of dentistry. Women dentists aim to advance their careers; however, differences exist between men and women dentists regarding leadership positions and work titles. For example, in Saudi Arabia, women usually occupy lower ranked positions than men in the Saudi public sector, and they are, therefore, paid less than their male counterparts. This study aimed to explore the possible barriers to Saudi women dentists’ professional advancement using a qualitative descriptive study design. Specifically, semistructured in-depth interviews were conducted with 13 women practicing dentistry in the Makkah region of Saudi Arabia. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim, and the data were interpreted using qualitative content analysis (NVivo 11; QRS International). The results revealed 4 challenges that might delay the participants’ career development. These include family-related challenges, sociocultural challenges, workplace challenges, and transportation issues. From this perspective, some perceived barriers to the professional development of women dentists were found that might not be unique to Saudi Arabia, and the article’s suggestions and recommendations aim to minimize the effects of these barriers impeding women’s advancement in dentistry in Saudi Arabia. Knowledge Transfer Statement: This study makes an important contribution to knowledge on this topic. These results will aid policy makers’ efforts to create supportive work environments through gender-specific incentives that meet the current professional and family needs of women dentists, particularly those in Saudi Arabia.

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Supermarket Operators’ Perception of Effects: Shoplifting Crimes Within the CBD In Nairobi County, Kenya

European Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences ◽

10.24018/ejsocial.2021.1.6.168 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 1 (6) ◽

pp. 39-47

Author(s):

Tonui Paul Kiprugut ◽

Panuel Mwaeke ◽

Wokabi Mwangi

Keyword(s):

Law Enforcement ◽

Radio Frequency Identification ◽

Police Officers ◽

Sampling Technique ◽

Routine Activity ◽

Law Enforcement Agencies ◽

Target Hardening ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Local Law Enforcement ◽

Frequency Identification

This paper established prevalence of the characteristics in the shoplifting crimes and determined the supermarket operators’ perception of the effects of shoplifting crimes on society. The study was guided by three objectives: to establish offender characteristics of the shoplifting crimes, to establish prevalence of the characteristics in the shoplifting crimes and to determine the supermarket operators’ perception of the effects of shoplifting crimes on society. The study was guided by Rational Choice and the Routine Activity Theories. The study used a census sampling technique with a sample size of a hundred respondents. These included 90 junior employees of Tuskys, Uchumi and Naivas Supermarkets, 3 branch managers, 3 police officers within the area of the study and 4 officials of the Nairobi Supermarkets Association. Interview schedule was used to collect data. Data collected was organized, summarized and interpreted thematically by use of graphs, frequency tables, and percentages. The findings revealed that the prevalence of shoplifting was 1-2 incidences in a week. The results also revealed that the most commonly used method was concealing of items which were majorly done by women. Further, whereas there are other types of shoplifters, a concern raised by 30% of the respondents is that significant number of criminals has made shoplifting a career. This should inform policy makers, especially in this era of unprecedented unemployment. Additionally, as indicated by 55% of the respondents, staff colluded with criminals to steal from the supermarkets. This should appeal to supermarket operators as this may have an implication on supermarket businesses in the CBD. The study recommends several target hardening strategies to counter shoplifting crimes that included using high Radio-frequency identification (RFID) and Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) programmed surveillance and records linked to the law enforcement through alarm trigger alerts in case of suspicious activities, with high-quality identifiable traceable images of shoplifters, to local law enforcement agencies.

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Geographic inequities in local higher education opportunities? : identifying college deserts with critical GIS

10.32469/10355/63375 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Christopher Krause

Keyword(s):

Postsecondary Education ◽

College Access ◽

Spatial Scales ◽

Economic Status ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Critical Gis ◽

Education Access ◽

Race Ethnicity ◽

Python Programming ◽

Aid Policy

In a world where one's future is heavily impacted by having postsecondary education, access to college is a pertinent research topic. Access is a widely researched topic, but only recently has college access been studied specifically. This study proposes a geographic information systems based methodology for quantifying college access at multiple spatial scales. This methodology was implemented with the Python programming language and ArcGIS. A sample of six metropolitan statistical areas were identified and analyzed using the developed methodology. Within this sample, college access varied primarily by socio-economic status although some variation between race/ethnicity was identified. Further research is needed to assess whether these trends are generalizable. Quantification of college access will aid policy-makers to prepare reforms to reduce the inequity of college access.

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