Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Parental monitoring of children’s activities and friendships is a crucial component of parent-child communication. The present paper examines the effects of parental monitoring on children’s initiation of marijuana use. It is the first study to do so with a national sample of American youth and the first to use parallel independent youth and parent reports of monitoring. Results indicated that while parent and youth reports were only moderately correlated (r = .28), both the parent and youth monitoring scales displayed similar relationships with marijuana use initiation. A one-point increase in both the parent and youth monitoring scales was associated an approximately 26% decrease in the odds of marijuana use initiation (controlling for relevant covariates). Analysis also revealed a significant interaction between youth-reported monitoring and children’s risk for marijuana initiation. For youth at low risk of marijuana initiation, monitoring offered additional protection against initiation. For youth at high risk, however, monitoring increased the predicted probability of marijuana initiation.

Publication Type: Abstract
Abstract: Often the purpose of monitoring is to track species over time until the population decreases or increases, at which point management may occur. Many programs could be more informative, however, with small adjustments. Unfortunately, when it is time for managers to act, there is little information because the goal of monitoring was not to learn about the species’ ecology, but its status. An alternative approach is to monitor so that learning about the ecology of the species occurs while status data are collected. In this model-based approach, multiple models are proposed about factors that may affect the species’ status. Learning occurs as models are evaluated for how well data support them. A second limitation of much monitoring is that not all individuals are detected perfectly during surveys. Therefore, it is not known if a species’ density actually varied across habitats, treatments, or time, or only appeared to do so because detection of individuals varied. There are ways to estimate detection probability and produce unbiased estimates of density or distribution. The USGS Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative uses model-based monitoring to study amphibians across public lands. We have tested models to learn about ecology and management of amphibians while estimating status.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Scholars have found an association between membership in regional intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) and democracy, and IGO enforcement is often credited with explaining this link. But empirical evidence reveals great variation in whether IGOs actually do respond to violations of democratic norms, even in densely democratic regions. Why do IGOs impose costs on some norm-violating regimes but not others? Using an original dataset of elections and international democracy promotion from 1990-2005, I examine regional IGOs’ response to one type of democratic norm violation: election manipulation. I argue that an important, yet overlooked, factor explaining variation in enforcement is information on the nature and scope of norm violations. International election monitors help solve this problem by (a) revealing information on the effects of manipulation, and (b) generating publicity that increases the perceived need to take action. Quantitative tests show that negative verdicts from monitors increase the chances of IGO enforcement after flawed elections, controlling for other country-specific factors. Case studies of elections in Peru, Ecuador and Ukraine trace how monitors’ verdicts influence deliberations among IGO member states.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: This paper will explore the phenomenon of corporate monitoring in the apparel industry in terms of its original relationship to neo-liberal politics and to the struggle against those politics. The paper will then detail the role monitoring has played (both commercial and independent) in local struggles in key cases including Dominican Republic and Kukdong/Mexmode in Puebla, Mexico.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: We developed software to identify students cheating on tests and a procedure for handling accusations of cheating. Data for the software is computerized output from our university exam services that lists each test item a student missed, and the wrong answer chosen. Our software compares responses to exam items for each student with all other students in the class, and estimates an exact probability that two students sitting next to each other could have generated the pattern of exact errors in common by chance alone. If the chance that two students chose their answers independently is less than .001, we assume that warrants further investigation. Those students identified as cheating are presented with a written project. We combine a process of confession, restitution, and absolution with a sociological approach to the study of deviance, social norms, and ethical behavior. Results have been a dramatic affect on students’ attitude toward learning and the academic process.