Childhood Denied: Ending the Nightmare of Child Abuse and Neglect is an expose of how America ignores and often discards its most vulnerable children. Delving into the political, legal, and social factors of children at risk for abuse and neglect, it chronicles the plight of abused children across the nation and provides a "report card" for each U.S. state. With a practical, journalistic, and social scientific approach, this fervent book emboldens child welfare professionals, government representatives, lawmakers, child attorneys, law enforcers, and the general public to respond more effectively and consistently to the needs of children at risk. Features and Benefits Explores viable solutions to mitigate child abuse, such as legislative changes; quality of child protection services and foster care; training and education within the judicial system; and developing national standards Draws a clear distinction between questionable parenting practices and situations where children's lives and health are consistently in jeopardy Employs a strong call to action and inspires readers to help end the cycle of abuse and neglect by addressing the core of the problem Created in collaboration with First Star - an organization that offers a nonpartisan, multidisciplinary approach - and provides a catalyst for change Intended Audience This inspiring book is a must-have for child welfare professionals, policymakers, attorneys, law enforcers as well as anyone devoted to helping children at risk. It is also an excellent supplement for courses in social work, government, politics, and law.

Meghan Doherty, a young business professor on the eve of tenure, is found hanging and nearly dead in her Pacific Coast University office. Her brother and only living relative, Shamus, a builder by trade, must leave his small New England town to be in Los Angeles for a sister he has kept at a distance since a childhood event he can neither forgive nor forget.

Childhood Denied: Ending the Nightmare of Child Abuse and Neglect is an expose of how America ignores and often discards its most vulnerable children. Delving into the political, legal, and social factors of children at risk for abuse and neglect, it chronicles the plight of abused children across the nation and provides a "report card" for each U.S. state. With a practical, journalistic, and social scientific approach, this fervent book emboldens child welfare professionals, government representatives, lawmakers, child attorneys, law enforcers, and the general public to respond more effectively and consistently to the needs of children at risk. Features and Benefits Explores viable solutions to mitigate child abuse, such as legislative changes; quality of child protection services and foster care; training and education within the judicial system; and developing national standards Draws a clear distinction between questionable parenting practices and situations where children's lives and health are consistently in jeopardy Employs a strong call to action and inspires readers to help end the cycle of abuse and neglect by addressing the core of the problem Created in collaboration with First Star - an organization that offers a nonpartisan, multidisciplinary approach - and provides a catalyst for change Intended Audience This inspiring book is a must-have for child welfare professionals, policymakers, attorneys, law enforcers as well as anyone devoted to helping children at risk. It is also an excellent supplement for courses in social work, government, politics, and law.

Kathleen Reardon is one of a dozen or so contemporary scholars at the forefront of persuasion theory. . . .In addition to her original work, Reardon has a knack for translating widely diverse theories and research findings into terms understandable to those less knowledgeable about the field. In Persuasion in Practice, Reardon does two things: she presents a comprehensive summary and assessment of contemporary persuasion and research; and, she demonstrates applications of persuasion theory and research in four situations or communication 'contexts'--interpersonal, organizational, mass media, and political. Her discussion is largely descriptive and analytical, only rarely including prescriptive advice about influence. . . .The work is an invaluable resource for researchers investigating persuasion theory and practice. Moreover, because Reardon writes from a business orientation, her book will be useful for management communication and organizational behavior teachers, as well. Her excellent, business-related examples are particularly informative, suggesting, for example, an intersection of management and organizational communication. --Management Communication Quarterly What is persuasion? How is it maintained? How is it practiced and applied? Offering a unique blend of theory, research, and application, Persuasion in Practice deftly answers these questions and helps debunk many of the myths surrounding this topic. The constructs, schemata, rules, illusions, attitudes, and values of persuasion are explored and various contemporary theories are presented. In addition, the author examines persuasion as it is practiced in a number of different settings, including politics, organizations, and the mass media. For the scholar or student wishing to better understand the theoretical and research origins of current thinking on persuasion --or for the practitioner in all of us wanting to know how this current thinking translates into practice--you can't find a better resource than Persuasion in Practice.