Federalism and Welfare to Work in Switzerland: The Development of Active Social Policies in a Fragmented Welfare State

This article is concerned with the impact that federal structures have on the development of welfare to work or activation policies. More precisely, it argues that the incentives and the risks associated with a division of responsibilities among different jurisdictions may constitute an obstacle to broad reforms that promote labor market participation of nonworking benefit recipients. This argument is illustrated with a case study discussing policy responses to a massive rise in caseloads among social assistance recipients in Switzerland. We conclude that the lack of a fundamental reform was the consequence of the incentives provided by the federal structure of the program. These incentives have both encouraged cost shifting among jurisdictions and discouraged involvement of federal level policy makers in a bigger reform.

One kind of lawlessness: estimating the welfare cost of Somali piracy

This paper estimates the effect of piracy attacks on shipping costs using a unique data set on shipping contracts in the dry bulk market. We look at shipping routes whose shortest path exposes them to piracy attacks and find that the increase in attacks in 2008 lead to around a ten percent increase in shipping costs. We use this estimate to get a sense of the welfare loss imposed by piracy. Our intermediate estimate suggests that the creation of $120 million of revenue for pirates in the Somalia area led to a welfare loss of over $1.5 billion.

State Legislation Monitoring Report, FY 2002

The Division of Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning issued its first state legislation monitoring report in February 2002, covering the first six month’s impact of Senate File 543 on the justice system. SF 543, enacted during the 2001 legislative session, changed the maximum penalty for first-offense Burglary-3rd degree, and established new sentencing options available to the court: * An alternative determinate prison sentence for certain Class D felons * Extended felony sentence reconsideration from 90 days to one year

Juvenile Crime and the Welfare of Youth, 1999

This staff report on various factors regarding juvenile issues and crime was prepared by the Division of Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning (CJJP). It was prepared to help the Juvenile Justice Advisory Council (JJAC) prepare their 3-Year Strategy as prescribed by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDP Act).

On-farm animal welfare assessment in dairy cattle: improved lameness detection

Estudi realitzat a partir d’una estada a la University of British Columbia, Canada, entre 2010 i 2012. Primerament es va desenvolupar una escala per mesurar coixeses (amb valors de l’1 al 5). Aquesta escala es va utilitzar per estudiar l’associació entre factors de risc a nivell de granja (disseny de le instal.lacions i maneig) i la prevalencia de coixeses a Nord America. Les dades es van recollir en un total de 40 granges al Nord Est dels E.E.U.U (NE) i 39 a California (CA) . Totes les vaques del group mes productiu es van categoritzar segons la severitat de les coixeses: sanes, coixes i severament coixes. La prevalencia de coixeses en general fou del 55 % a NE i del 31% a CA. La prevalencia de coixeses severes fou del 8% a NE i del 4% a Ca. A NE, les coixeses en general increntaren amb la presencia de serradura als llits i disminuiren en granjes grans, amb major quantitat de llit i acces a pastura. Les coixeses mes severes incrementaren amb la falta d’higiene als llit i amb la presencia de serradura als llits, i disminuiren amb la quantitat de llit proveit, l’us de sorra als llits i amb la mida de la granja. A CA, les coixeses en general incrementaren amb la falta d’higiene al llit, i disminuiren amb la mida de la granja, la presencia de terres de goma, l’increment d’espai als cubicles , l’espai a l’abeuredor i la desinfeccio de les peulles. Les coixeses severes incrementaren amb la falta d’higiene al llit i disminuixen amb la frequencia de neteja del corral. En conclusio, canvis en el maneig i el disseny de les instal.lacions poden ajudar a disminuir la prevalencia de coixeses, tot i que les estrategies a seguir variaran segons la regio.

Labeling Regulations and Segregation of First- and, Second-Generation Genetically Modified Products: Innovation Incentives and Welfare Effects, April 2005

We review some of the most significant issues and results on the economic effects of genetically modified (GM) product innovation, with emphasis on the question of GM labeling and the need for costly segregation and identity preservation activities. The analysis is organized around an explicit model that can accommodate the features of both first-generation and second-generation GM products. The model accounts for the proprietary nature of GM innovations and for the critical role of consumer preferences vis-à-vis GM products, as well as for the impacts of segregation and identity preservation and the effects of a mandatory GM labeling regulation. We also investigate briefly a novel question in this setting, the choice of “research direction”when both cost-reducing and quality-enhancing GM innovations are feasible.

Beyond Welfare Inc., Independent Auditor's Reports, Financial Statements, Schedule of Findings, Eighteen Months ended June 30, 2004

Other Audit Reports

Child Welfare in Iowa - Recent Developments, 1940

A paper given by Dr. Emma McCloy Layman before the Iowa Conference on Child Development and Parent Education on May 5th, 1940.

Children in the welfare state. A social investment approach

Children occupy centre-stage in any new welfare equilibrium. Failure to support families may produce either of two undesirable scenarios. We shall see a society without children if motherhood remains incompatible with work. A new family policy needs to recognize that children are a collective asset and that the cost of having children is rising. The double challenge is to eliminate the constraints on having children in the first place, and to ensure that the children we have are ensured optimal opportunities. The simple reason why a new social contract is called for is that fertility and child quality combine both private utility and societal gains. And like no other epoch in the past, the societal gains are mounting all-the-while that families’ ability to produce these social gains is weakening.In the following 1 analyze the twin challenges of fertility and child development. I then examine which kind of policy mix will ensure both the socially desired level of fertility and investment in our children? The task is to identify a Paretian optimum that will maximize efficiency gains and social equity simultaneously.

Do welfare benefits affect womens' choices of adult care giving?

The efficacy of social care, publicly and universally provided, has been contested from two different points of view. First, advocates of targeting social policy criticized the Matthew’s effect of universal provision and; second, theories arguing in favour of heterogeneous rationalities between men and women and, even different preferences among women, predict that universal provision of services is limiting women’s choices more than home allowances. The author tests both hypotheses and concludes that, at least in the case of adult care, women’s choices are significantly affected by women’s social positions and by the availability of public services. Furthermore, targeting through means-test eligibility criteria has no significant effect on inequality but, confirming the redistributive paradox, reduces women’s options.