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This study evaluated the effectiveness of prison‐based cognitive skills programmes in England and Wales in reducing reconviction. Two‐year reconviction rates were compared for adult male offenders who had participated in a cognitive skills programme between 1996 and 1998 (N = 649) and matched adult male offenders who had not participated (N = 1,947). There were no significant differences in the rates of reconviction between the treatment and matched comparisons. This contrasts with a previous study of prison‐based cognitive skills programmes. Possible explanations for the current finding are discussed. For example, these results may merely reflect expected variation; international experience mirrors the variable reductions in reconviction rates found so far in the evaluation of prison‐based programmes. This evaluation relates to a period when programmes were expanded rapidly, and this may have affected the quality of programme delivery.

The management of children′s literature is a search for value and suitability. Effective policies in library and educational work are based firmly on knowledge of materials, and on the bibliographical and critical frame within which the materials appear and might best be selected. Boundaries, like those between quality and popular books, and between children′s and adult materials, present important challenges for selection, and implicit in this process are professional acumen and judgement. Yet also there are attitudes and systems of values, which can powerfully influence selection on grounds of morality and good taste. To guard against undue subjectivity, the knowledge frame should acknowledge the relevance of social and experiential context for all reading materials, how readers think as well as how they read, and what explicit and implicit agendas the authors have. The good professional takes all these factors on board.

State and national initiatives place an increased emphasis on both students’ exposure to diverse texts and teachers’ integration of English/language arts and history/social studies. The intent is for students to critically examine diverse accounts and perspectives of the same historical event or era. Critical examination can be accomplished through teachers’ purposeful juxtaposition of age-appropriate, engaging trade books and relevant informational texts, such as primary source materials. To guide interested elementary and middle level teachers, researchers can evaluate trade books for historical representation and suggest divergent or competing narratives that compel students to scrutinize diverse perspectives. Researchers can locate germane primary sources and modify them in ways that maintain their historicity. As students read, they scrutinize, contextualize, and corroborate sources, which enables them to actively construct historical understandings. We examined children’s literature centered on child labor. We juxtaposed trade books targeting elementary students with those intended for middle level students. While our findings revealed various forms of historical misrepresentation, child labor trade books appear far more historically representative than those centered on slavery.

Who will lead Ambridge in the years to come? Theories rooted in psychology and political science, when applied to family dynamics in The Archers, allow for some educated guesses. Social learning theory suggests that children who see their parents vote, run for office and participate in other civic activities are more likely to do the same in adulthood. Emma Grundy did just that when she followed in the footsteps of her father, Neil Carter, in winning a seat on the parish council. Previous research has found that birth order also can shape future leaders, with the eldest child more likely to benefit developmentally from parents' undivided attention in the early years, and also more likely to establish a hierarchy of power over younger siblings. With these factors in mind, who are the most probable contenders to lead Ambridge in the spheres of politics, business and civic affairs? The extant research points to Pip Archer, Lily Pargetter, Phoebe Aldridge and George Grundy. The unique circumstances of Ruairi Donovan's childhood suggest he may also be a formidable candidate. And, as is the case in so many contexts, one would be wise not to overlook Molly Button.

There is a significant body of work dealing with the topic of undeclared work and irregular immigrants. However, relatively little is understood about the British general public’s perception of irregular immigrants’ participation in undeclared work. The purpose of this paper is to explore the topic from a social trust angle and to compare its findings with the real extent and distribution of the different sub-populations’ participation in undeclared work.

The research is based on the 2007 Eurobarometer data set, drawing upon the results of logistic regression analyses.

The research reveals the extent that socio-demographic, occupational and spatial characteristics influence the perceptions of the general public towards the involvement of irregular immigrants in undeclared work in the UK. These findings are then analysed to show their impact on social trust.

A policy intervention addressing perceptions could be joined by or be part of initiatives aiming to increase social trust as their target audience overlaps with both racial and income differences playing a significant role in both matters. Equal treatment should be an essential feature of such new measures as it could have a significant effect on preventing discrimination as a result of negative perceptions. Also, new policies aiming to reduce undeclared work should consider a general scope targeting all ethnic groups at the same time. Focusing on just one minority community intensifies perceptions of the rest of the society and enhances its weakening effect on extra-community links at the same time impeding interpersonal trust and the emergence of social capital.

Perceptions of the general public towards irregular immigrants’ engagement in undeclared work has not been analysed in detail previously. The findings of the current paper are based on the 2007 Eurobarometer data set. This paper examines the preconceptions and their impact on social trust from the perspective of the general public.