In this highly informative book on the sociocultural interactions between alcoholism and drug abuse, experts explore the relationship of such factors as ethnicity, family, religion, and gender to chemical abuse and address important implications for treatment.

This resource is devoted exclusively to reporting the results of rigorous research concerning substance abuse treatment outcomes for homeless persons. The Effectiveness of Social Interventions for Homeless Substance Abusers reveals that while dropout rates are high for this population, it is essential to develop treatment programs that not only focus on the addiction, but also address the tangible needs of the homeless, notably housing, income support, and employment.

Alcohol use affects, either directly or indirectly, nearly all facets of Western civi lization. Eastern cultures are also not exempt from the influence of alcohol, and the present decade has been a time of increased alcohol use in all parts of the world. The problems of alcohol abuse and alcoholism are of concern to a variety of professionals in the biomedical and psychosocial health sciences, and-although the alcohol research literature contains much information on the relationships between alcohol ingestion and physiological, neurochemical, pharmacologic, genetic, environmental, and psychological effects in humans and in subhuman spe cies-there is at the present time no advanced textbook that integrates the avail able information for use by both students and professionals. The writing of Medical and Social Aspects of Alcohol Abuse constitutes an attempt to create a scholarly reference and resource for students, researchers, prac ticing clinicians, and paraprofessionals who wish to understand the complex inter play of factors related to acute and chronic alcohol intoxication, the effects of alco hol on body functions, and treatment approaches to alcohol abusers and alcoholics.

The 14 clearly written articles included in this collection exemplify the best of sociological scholarship on drug and alcohol problems. The readings strike a balance between constructionist, epidemiological, and ethnographic approaches to the study of drinking, drug use, and related problems such as domestic violence, crime, and the spread of HIV/AIDS. Visit our website for sample chapters!

This book offers for the first time a clear conception of what social support networks are, why they are important, how they are identified and sustained, where they fit in an overall framework of human services, and their limits and potential in selected fields of practice. Individual chapters explore: child, adolescent, and family services; daycare and early childhood development; divorced and stepfamilies; schools; delinquency prevention and treatment; mental health; service to the elderly; development disabilities; healthcare and health promotion; and drug treatment. The use of social support networks--extended family, friends, neighbors, and other "informal" helpers--is an idea whose time has come in the human services field. At a time when spiraling costs and popular sentiment weigh against any major expansion of services, it is apparent that a service strategy based primarily on the notion of professional helping delivered on a case-by-case basis, usually in a one-to-one relationship, has serious limitations. Professional response to this major work has been uniformly positive: "[The editors] have assembled a book of considerable importanceà brilliant in both scholarship and constructionà will appeal to a broad readershipà "--Gerald Euster, University of South Carolina. "à offers a much needed balance to the focus on individual and internal dynamics which has characterized social work education for several decades."--Eleanor Reardon Tolson, University of Chicago. "Social Support Networks is a valuable contributionà a unique, original, and authoritative book...an exciting, timely, and definitely practice-oriented book with a strong theoretical and research base."--Anthony N. Maluccio, University of Connecticut. James K. Whittaker is professor of social work at the University of Washington. A former childcare worker, therapist, and administrator in residential childcare, he has been a consultant to governmental and voluntary children's agencies throughout the United States. James Garbarino is Elizabeth Lee Vincent Professor of Human Development in the College of Human Ecology at Cornell University. He was president of the Erikson Institute for Advanced Study in Child Development, Chicago, Illinois, from 1985 to 1994. He is the co-author of Troubled Youth, Troubled Families, also available from AldineTransaction.

Examine the worldwide phenomenon of substance abuse and addiction! International Aspects of Social Work Practice in the Addictions examines current social work practice in the addictions around the world. Researchers and practitioners address the abuse of and addiction to alcohol and other drugs and the current policies impacting the treatment of these substances in different countries. The book looks at the substances abused, the scope of the problems, the social reactions, the treatment approaches, and the role of professionals in addressing issues unique to each country, providing a more critical understanding of the socioeconomic and cultural influences on treatment systems. International Aspects of Social Work Practice in the Addictions presents cross-cultural perspectives on the effects of substance abuse and addiction on social policies, institutional practices, sources of funding, and social work methods. The book examines the rapid social changes that go hand in hand with increased rates of psychoactive substance problems and recognizes addiction as a complex biopsychosocial phenomenon that responds to intervention. The countries represented by the book's contributors include: Israel Ireland Germany Australia Singapore the Netherlands the United Kingdom the former Soviet Union and the United States International Aspects of Social Work Practice in the Addictions also includes book reviews related to cultural issues and a roundtable discussion concerning the legalization of drugs with perspectives from Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. This unique book is a vital resource for clinicians, academics, and researchers.

The first three volumes of this series have dealt with materials which generally justify the title, The Biology of Alcoholism. This is only remotely true of the present volume, Social Aspects of Alcoholism, or of the final volume to come, Treatment and Rehabilitation. Except for small portions of the treatment section which involve pharmacotherapy, much of these last two volumes deals with the psychological aspects of alcoholism and still more with the social. It is interesting to review the evolution of this new pattern over the past seven years, a pattern which, had it existed initially, would have resulted, if not in a dif ferent format, at least in a different title. Our initial selection of areas to be covered was influenced by our desire to present as "hard" data as possible, in an attempt to lend a greater aura of scientific rigor to a field which was generally considered as "soft. " When we completed our review of this material in volumes 1-3, we recognized that what we might have gained in rigor, we had more than lost in completeness. These volumes presented a picture of a biological disease syndrome for which the remedies and preventive measures were presumably also biological. And yet, most workers in the field readily accept the significant contributions of psychological and social factors to the pathogenesis and treatment of alcoholism.

Empower your students to become part of the solution. With a clear and upbeat voice, this thought-provoking overview of social problems challenges readers to understand and recognize social problems in their communities and inspires them to become part of the solution. The Fourth Edition of this popular book goes beyond the typical presentation of contemporary social problems and their consequences by emphasizing the importance and effectiveness of community involvement to achieve real solutions. With an overarching focus on social inequalities and policy, this proven text provides a platform for discussion that encourages critical thinking and inspires hope.

The social processes which underpin and shape our lives have the power to significantly transform the trajectories of people experiencing recovery from addiction and desistance from crime. Recovery from addiction and desistance from crime are processes which are often experienced and supported in the same physical spaces and are also frequently experienced by the same people. This book therefore synthesises and presents research on the social influences of recovery and desistance. This book presents the social component model of recovery from addiction and desistance from crime: a strength-based approach presenting case studies to better understand the social factors of both recovery from addiction and desistance from crime and therefore a step towards enhancing evidence-based policy and practice. The social components that have emerged and will be discussed within this book include relationships and social bonds; social identity, group membership, and social networks; and social capital. Compiled based on observations, interviews, and social identity mapping methods, this work combines and presents theory and research to enhance and strengthen the evidence available for people who are already teaching about, supporting, and experiencing both desistance from crime and recovery from addiction in practice.