Susan W Harrell | University of West Florida (original) (raw)

Papers by Susan W Harrell

Mediation quarterly, Jun 1, 1995

Attorneys frequently believe that they need to attend family law mediation sessions with their cl... more Attorneys frequently believe that they need to attend family law mediation sessions with their clients. This article reports the results of a study of the frequency of attendance and the justification offered by attorneys who attend family law mediation sessions. Questionnaires were sent to 500 members of the Family Law Section of the Florida Bar and 150 responses wereretumed. The results reflect many different reasons that attorneys attend these sessions with their clients.

North American Journal of Psychology, Mar 1, 2005

Seven aspects of laws on suicide, as proxy measures of public attitudes in each state, were corre... more Seven aspects of laws on suicide, as proxy measures of public attitudes in each state, were correlated with the 2001 rates of suicide for the contiguous U.S. states. With so many correlations in the present study, the likelihood of a Type I error was large. Alpha was adjusted to control for that likelihood. Statistical analysis now requires even stronger evidence before concluding that there were significant relationships between state laws on suicide and state rates of suicide. A multiple regression on all seven aspects showed that only 20% of the variance in the 2001 rates of suicide was accounted for. None of the seven aspects of the state laws appears to be closely related to the rate of suicide. Overall state laws probably do not reflect the acceptance of suicide as a behavior by the general public. Lester (1988) reported that the state laws on suicide might represent the attitudes of the people in each state (as reflected through their elected officials). If so, states with punitive laws on suicide might have citizens who are more opposed to suicide and so suicide rates would be lower (p. 134). Victoroff (1983) charted, on a state-by-state basis, then-existing statutes (criminal and civil) pertaining to the legal aspects of suicide. That is, for each state, Victoroff (1983) determined whether legislation existed which: (a) provided a criminal penalty for attempted suicide, (b) provided there a criminal penalty for aiding another in committing suicide or for forming suicide pacts, (c) expressly permitted the use of reasonable force to prevent another from taking his/her own life, (d) provided criminal penalties for anyone with knowledge of a suicide who fails to notify the coroner or medical examiner immediately, (e) allowed individuals to refuse extraordinary life support measures in certain cases, (f) limited an insurance company's denial of payment on life insurance or double-indemnity policy claims in cases of suicide, (g) affected recovery of Worker's Compensation payments in cases of suicide, and (h) expressly abolished the common law of escheat or forfeiture of the land and property of suicide victims to the state. Lester (1988) obtained the rates of suicide for each of the 48 contiguous states from Vital Statistics of the United States, 1980. He used these results with those of Victoroff's (1983) state-by-state breakdown. Point-biserial correlation coefficients were calculated between the 1980 state rates of suicide and each of these eight statutes above. None of Lester's (1988) correlations were statistically significant or closely related to state rates of suicide: (a) criminal penalties for attempted suicide (r = 0.03, two states with this provision), (b) criminal penalties for aiding another in committing suicide or for forming suicide pacts (r = 0.20, 20 states), (c) statutes expressly permitting the use of reasonable force to prevent another from taking his/her own life (r = -0.16, nine states), (d) statutes providing criminal penalties for anyone with knowledge of a suicide who fails to notify the coroner or medical examiner immediately (r = -0.11, 9 states), (e) statutes allowing individuals to refuse extraordinary life support measures in certain cases (r = 0.13, four states), (f) statutes that limit an insurance company's denial of payment on life insurance or double-indemnity policy claims in cases of suicide (r = 0.11, 16 states), (g) statutes affecting recovery of Worker's Compensation payments in cases of suicide (r = -0.15, six states), and (h) statutes expressly abolishing the common law of escheat or forfeiture of the land and property of suicide victims to the state (r = -0.03, seven states). METHOD Data were available to examine the "generality" of Lester's (1988) earlier 1980 findings, i.e., state laws on suicide were not significantly or closely related to state rates of suicide. Therefore, the present study used state legislative data on suicide that had been in existence since 2001 along with the rates of suicide for each of the 48 states (Vital Statistics of the United States, 2001). …

Public Administration Quarterly, 1996

Nova Law Review, 1995

Family mediation can be used most effectively as a method of dispute resolution if family law att... more Family mediation can be used most effectively as a method of dispute resolution if family law attorneys actively support its use. This article reports the results of a study of the experiences and uses of mediation

Experiential learning is at the forefront of pedagogical best practices in undergraduate educatio... more Experiential learning is at the forefront of pedagogical best practices in undergraduate education. Business schools, which are an increasingly popular choice for future law school applicants, should take steps to enrich the learning experience for these students. Many pre-law programs already implement and utilize successful experiential assignments which should be adopted by business schools. The skills learned in these assignments, which include contract simulations, mock trials, and client interviews, contain components that can benefit both the traditional business student and the law school applicant. By providing opportunities for experiential learning similar to their real-world counterparts, business schools can better position themselves to accommodate the needs of these students.

Law Library Journal, 2000

Mediation quarterly, Dec 1, 1994

Mentorship has a strong history in the development of many professions in our society. This artic... more Mentorship has a strong history in the development of many professions in our society. This article reports the results ofa study of the impact of requiring an initial level of mentoringfor certijication as afamily mediator in the state of Florida. Questionnaires were sent to cert$edfamily mediators who acted as mentors and to the apprentice mediators who were applyingfor certijication. Commentsfrorn both groups indicated strong support to continue the mentorship requirement. The authors also discuss the development of a model of mentorship for family mediation. Consultation and supervision are often associated with professional disciplines. Historically, most professions emanated from an apprentice model where one worked side-by-side with an experienced "craftsperson" in the profession. Many professions such as clergy, physicians, and attorneys, to name a few, can trace their professional roots to this model. We assert that the apprenticeship model can be seen as the basis for the use of the consultation and supervision approach used by many professions today. The evolving profession of mediation is no exception. Consultation and supervision should be a normative part of family mediation education and training. The context of the research project reported here is set within Florida Statutes Section 44.302, which in 1987 gave judges the authority to order mediation in divorce and civil cases. Many of the questions that were raised at the inception of the statute are still being asked, such as "Who should mediate?" "Who should pay for it?" "Who should be trainers?" (Talcott, 1989, p. 84). Another controversial change in the law occurred effective July 1990, when the Florida Supreme Court amended Florida Rules of Civil Procedure 1.760 to state that those persons seeking to become certified as family law mediators must complete a mentorship composed of two observation sessions Note: We acknowledge the support of Sharon Press, director of the Dispute Resolution Center, Florida Supreme Court, who made this study possible.

IntroductionThe mission of many undergraduate legal studies or pre-law programs is to provide the... more IntroductionThe mission of many undergraduate legal studies or pre-law programs is to provide the skills and knowledge base to be successful in the legal profession. Pre-law programs make a conscious effort to incorporate student learning outcomes that are specifically tailored for the student aspiring to attend law school. Other undergraduate programs also boast a significant number of law school aspirants and programs with these pre-law students should be acutely aware of the expectations placed on law students. They must take measures to acclimate students to the rigors of their next academic endeavor, as they would with other post-graduate forms of education.In recent years, law schools have made a noticeable shift away from an entirely lectureoriented, traditional law school curriculum and towards an emphasis on experiential learning. The traditional approach focuses on the use of the case method to teach legal doctrine. In doing so, it reinforce the notion that students need t...

Child & Youth Services, 2013

ABSTRACT The desired outcome for children in foster care is to be reunited with their parents or ... more ABSTRACT The desired outcome for children in foster care is to be reunited with their parents or to be permanently placed in a stable home. Federal and state legislation directs increased efforts by the social welfare and judicial systems in the United States to act in the best interests of the child and to identify and reduce barriers to permanency. Records from two county dependency courts in Florida were examined and caregivers surveyed to identify issues that prevented them from adopting the child in their care, and to identify services that would have enhanced the likelihood of adoption. The findings and their implications suggest that more integration of the two systems and support for concrete assistance to caregivers are paramount to facilitating adoption of children in foster care.

Nova Law Review, 1995

Family mediation can be used most effectively as a method of dispute resolution if family law att... more Family mediation can be used most effectively as a method of dispute resolution if family law attorneys actively support its use. This article reports the results of a study of the experiences and uses of mediation

North American Journal of Psychology, 2005

Seven aspects of laws on suicide, as proxy measures of public attitudes in each state, were corre... more Seven aspects of laws on suicide, as proxy measures of public attitudes in each state, were correlated with the 2001 rates of suicide for the contiguous U.S. states. With so many correlations in the present study, the likelihood of a Type I error was large. Alpha was adjusted to control for that likelihood. Statistical analysis now requires even stronger evidence before concluding that there were significant relationships between state laws on suicide and state rates of suicide. A multiple regression on all seven aspects showed that only 20% of the variance in the 2001 rates of suicide was accounted for. None of the seven aspects of the state laws appears to be closely related to the rate of suicide. Overall state laws probably do not reflect the acceptance of suicide as a behavior by the general public. Lester (1988) reported that the state laws on suicide might represent the attitudes of the people in each state (as reflected through their elected officials). If so, states with pu...

Law Library Journal, 2000

Public Administration Quarterly, 1996

INTRODUCTION Cohen, March, and Olsen (1972) proposed a garbage can model of organizational decisi... more INTRODUCTION Cohen, March, and Olsen (1972) proposed a garbage can model of organizational decision-making. In the garbage can model, "the outcomes ... are a function of the mix of garbage (problems, solutions, participants, and the participants' resources)" (Kingdon, 1984:91). Hence the garbage can model was one that explained choice in the absence of complete rationality. In 1992-93, the Escambia County (Florida) Utilities Authority (ECUA) was involved in a real garbage can decision, ie., deciding which of eight refuse containers to buy for its automated collection program. In doing so, it ironically exemplified most of the characteristics of the garbage can model proposed by Cohen, March, and Olsen (1972). Because of these characteristics, in part, ECUA was the target of a grand jury investigation. Computer decision assisted support software (DSS) programs make it possible to determine the optimum outcome of such decisions based on the mix of goals and alternatives ...

North American Journal of Psychology, Mar 1, 2005

Journal of Legal Studies Education, 2004

Mediation Quarterly, 1995

Attorneys frequently believe that they need to attend family law mediation sessions with their cl... more Attorneys frequently believe that they need to attend family law mediation sessions with their clients. This article reports the results ofa study ofthefrequency of attendance and the justification offered by attorneys who attend family law mediation sessions. Questionnaires were sent to 500 members of the Fami5 Law Section of the Florida Bar and 150 responses were returned. The results rejlect many dflerent reasons that attorneys attend these sessions with their clients.

Mediation quarterly, Jun 1, 1995

Attorneys frequently believe that they need to attend family law mediation sessions with their cl... more Attorneys frequently believe that they need to attend family law mediation sessions with their clients. This article reports the results of a study of the frequency of attendance and the justification offered by attorneys who attend family law mediation sessions. Questionnaires were sent to 500 members of the Family Law Section of the Florida Bar and 150 responses wereretumed. The results reflect many different reasons that attorneys attend these sessions with their clients.

North American Journal of Psychology, Mar 1, 2005

Seven aspects of laws on suicide, as proxy measures of public attitudes in each state, were corre... more Seven aspects of laws on suicide, as proxy measures of public attitudes in each state, were correlated with the 2001 rates of suicide for the contiguous U.S. states. With so many correlations in the present study, the likelihood of a Type I error was large. Alpha was adjusted to control for that likelihood. Statistical analysis now requires even stronger evidence before concluding that there were significant relationships between state laws on suicide and state rates of suicide. A multiple regression on all seven aspects showed that only 20% of the variance in the 2001 rates of suicide was accounted for. None of the seven aspects of the state laws appears to be closely related to the rate of suicide. Overall state laws probably do not reflect the acceptance of suicide as a behavior by the general public. Lester (1988) reported that the state laws on suicide might represent the attitudes of the people in each state (as reflected through their elected officials). If so, states with punitive laws on suicide might have citizens who are more opposed to suicide and so suicide rates would be lower (p. 134). Victoroff (1983) charted, on a state-by-state basis, then-existing statutes (criminal and civil) pertaining to the legal aspects of suicide. That is, for each state, Victoroff (1983) determined whether legislation existed which: (a) provided a criminal penalty for attempted suicide, (b) provided there a criminal penalty for aiding another in committing suicide or for forming suicide pacts, (c) expressly permitted the use of reasonable force to prevent another from taking his/her own life, (d) provided criminal penalties for anyone with knowledge of a suicide who fails to notify the coroner or medical examiner immediately, (e) allowed individuals to refuse extraordinary life support measures in certain cases, (f) limited an insurance company's denial of payment on life insurance or double-indemnity policy claims in cases of suicide, (g) affected recovery of Worker's Compensation payments in cases of suicide, and (h) expressly abolished the common law of escheat or forfeiture of the land and property of suicide victims to the state. Lester (1988) obtained the rates of suicide for each of the 48 contiguous states from Vital Statistics of the United States, 1980. He used these results with those of Victoroff's (1983) state-by-state breakdown. Point-biserial correlation coefficients were calculated between the 1980 state rates of suicide and each of these eight statutes above. None of Lester's (1988) correlations were statistically significant or closely related to state rates of suicide: (a) criminal penalties for attempted suicide (r = 0.03, two states with this provision), (b) criminal penalties for aiding another in committing suicide or for forming suicide pacts (r = 0.20, 20 states), (c) statutes expressly permitting the use of reasonable force to prevent another from taking his/her own life (r = -0.16, nine states), (d) statutes providing criminal penalties for anyone with knowledge of a suicide who fails to notify the coroner or medical examiner immediately (r = -0.11, 9 states), (e) statutes allowing individuals to refuse extraordinary life support measures in certain cases (r = 0.13, four states), (f) statutes that limit an insurance company's denial of payment on life insurance or double-indemnity policy claims in cases of suicide (r = 0.11, 16 states), (g) statutes affecting recovery of Worker's Compensation payments in cases of suicide (r = -0.15, six states), and (h) statutes expressly abolishing the common law of escheat or forfeiture of the land and property of suicide victims to the state (r = -0.03, seven states). METHOD Data were available to examine the "generality" of Lester's (1988) earlier 1980 findings, i.e., state laws on suicide were not significantly or closely related to state rates of suicide. Therefore, the present study used state legislative data on suicide that had been in existence since 2001 along with the rates of suicide for each of the 48 states (Vital Statistics of the United States, 2001). …

Public Administration Quarterly, 1996

Nova Law Review, 1995

Family mediation can be used most effectively as a method of dispute resolution if family law att... more Family mediation can be used most effectively as a method of dispute resolution if family law attorneys actively support its use. This article reports the results of a study of the experiences and uses of mediation

Experiential learning is at the forefront of pedagogical best practices in undergraduate educatio... more Experiential learning is at the forefront of pedagogical best practices in undergraduate education. Business schools, which are an increasingly popular choice for future law school applicants, should take steps to enrich the learning experience for these students. Many pre-law programs already implement and utilize successful experiential assignments which should be adopted by business schools. The skills learned in these assignments, which include contract simulations, mock trials, and client interviews, contain components that can benefit both the traditional business student and the law school applicant. By providing opportunities for experiential learning similar to their real-world counterparts, business schools can better position themselves to accommodate the needs of these students.

Law Library Journal, 2000

Mediation quarterly, Dec 1, 1994

Mentorship has a strong history in the development of many professions in our society. This artic... more Mentorship has a strong history in the development of many professions in our society. This article reports the results ofa study of the impact of requiring an initial level of mentoringfor certijication as afamily mediator in the state of Florida. Questionnaires were sent to cert$edfamily mediators who acted as mentors and to the apprentice mediators who were applyingfor certijication. Commentsfrorn both groups indicated strong support to continue the mentorship requirement. The authors also discuss the development of a model of mentorship for family mediation. Consultation and supervision are often associated with professional disciplines. Historically, most professions emanated from an apprentice model where one worked side-by-side with an experienced "craftsperson" in the profession. Many professions such as clergy, physicians, and attorneys, to name a few, can trace their professional roots to this model. We assert that the apprenticeship model can be seen as the basis for the use of the consultation and supervision approach used by many professions today. The evolving profession of mediation is no exception. Consultation and supervision should be a normative part of family mediation education and training. The context of the research project reported here is set within Florida Statutes Section 44.302, which in 1987 gave judges the authority to order mediation in divorce and civil cases. Many of the questions that were raised at the inception of the statute are still being asked, such as "Who should mediate?" "Who should pay for it?" "Who should be trainers?" (Talcott, 1989, p. 84). Another controversial change in the law occurred effective July 1990, when the Florida Supreme Court amended Florida Rules of Civil Procedure 1.760 to state that those persons seeking to become certified as family law mediators must complete a mentorship composed of two observation sessions Note: We acknowledge the support of Sharon Press, director of the Dispute Resolution Center, Florida Supreme Court, who made this study possible.

IntroductionThe mission of many undergraduate legal studies or pre-law programs is to provide the... more IntroductionThe mission of many undergraduate legal studies or pre-law programs is to provide the skills and knowledge base to be successful in the legal profession. Pre-law programs make a conscious effort to incorporate student learning outcomes that are specifically tailored for the student aspiring to attend law school. Other undergraduate programs also boast a significant number of law school aspirants and programs with these pre-law students should be acutely aware of the expectations placed on law students. They must take measures to acclimate students to the rigors of their next academic endeavor, as they would with other post-graduate forms of education.In recent years, law schools have made a noticeable shift away from an entirely lectureoriented, traditional law school curriculum and towards an emphasis on experiential learning. The traditional approach focuses on the use of the case method to teach legal doctrine. In doing so, it reinforce the notion that students need t...

Child & Youth Services, 2013

ABSTRACT The desired outcome for children in foster care is to be reunited with their parents or ... more ABSTRACT The desired outcome for children in foster care is to be reunited with their parents or to be permanently placed in a stable home. Federal and state legislation directs increased efforts by the social welfare and judicial systems in the United States to act in the best interests of the child and to identify and reduce barriers to permanency. Records from two county dependency courts in Florida were examined and caregivers surveyed to identify issues that prevented them from adopting the child in their care, and to identify services that would have enhanced the likelihood of adoption. The findings and their implications suggest that more integration of the two systems and support for concrete assistance to caregivers are paramount to facilitating adoption of children in foster care.

Nova Law Review, 1995

Family mediation can be used most effectively as a method of dispute resolution if family law att... more Family mediation can be used most effectively as a method of dispute resolution if family law attorneys actively support its use. This article reports the results of a study of the experiences and uses of mediation

North American Journal of Psychology, 2005

Seven aspects of laws on suicide, as proxy measures of public attitudes in each state, were corre... more Seven aspects of laws on suicide, as proxy measures of public attitudes in each state, were correlated with the 2001 rates of suicide for the contiguous U.S. states. With so many correlations in the present study, the likelihood of a Type I error was large. Alpha was adjusted to control for that likelihood. Statistical analysis now requires even stronger evidence before concluding that there were significant relationships between state laws on suicide and state rates of suicide. A multiple regression on all seven aspects showed that only 20% of the variance in the 2001 rates of suicide was accounted for. None of the seven aspects of the state laws appears to be closely related to the rate of suicide. Overall state laws probably do not reflect the acceptance of suicide as a behavior by the general public. Lester (1988) reported that the state laws on suicide might represent the attitudes of the people in each state (as reflected through their elected officials). If so, states with pu...

Law Library Journal, 2000

Public Administration Quarterly, 1996

INTRODUCTION Cohen, March, and Olsen (1972) proposed a garbage can model of organizational decisi... more INTRODUCTION Cohen, March, and Olsen (1972) proposed a garbage can model of organizational decision-making. In the garbage can model, "the outcomes ... are a function of the mix of garbage (problems, solutions, participants, and the participants' resources)" (Kingdon, 1984:91). Hence the garbage can model was one that explained choice in the absence of complete rationality. In 1992-93, the Escambia County (Florida) Utilities Authority (ECUA) was involved in a real garbage can decision, ie., deciding which of eight refuse containers to buy for its automated collection program. In doing so, it ironically exemplified most of the characteristics of the garbage can model proposed by Cohen, March, and Olsen (1972). Because of these characteristics, in part, ECUA was the target of a grand jury investigation. Computer decision assisted support software (DSS) programs make it possible to determine the optimum outcome of such decisions based on the mix of goals and alternatives ...

North American Journal of Psychology, Mar 1, 2005

Journal of Legal Studies Education, 2004

Mediation Quarterly, 1995

Attorneys frequently believe that they need to attend family law mediation sessions with their cl... more Attorneys frequently believe that they need to attend family law mediation sessions with their clients. This article reports the results ofa study ofthefrequency of attendance and the justification offered by attorneys who attend family law mediation sessions. Questionnaires were sent to 500 members of the Fami5 Law Section of the Florida Bar and 150 responses were returned. The results rejlect many dflerent reasons that attorneys attend these sessions with their clients.