Popular Government
Popular Government back issue: Vol. 64, No. 4, Summer 1999
See links to online articles from this issue below.
Publications
This article describes various approaches being used to fund public art in North Carolina following the demise of the state's Art Works for State Buildings program. It also describes a wide range of completed projects, from the spectacular (a sound/light/water display at East Carolina University and a neon sculpture at the Eastern North Carolina School for the Deaf) to the commonplace by classy (for example, murals, hand-carved tile panels, and an elaborate landscaping project).
This article discusses the division of responsibility for courthouse security among the Administrative Office of the Courts, judges presiding over trials, judges with administrative responsibilities, counties, and sheriffs' offices. Issues may arise in relation to adequacy of a facility, sufficiency of physical items (metal detectors, etc.) needed to provide security, and quality or quantity of security personnel available.
This article uses a recently enacted statute on immunity as a springboard for urging public employers to provide fuller job references instead of the usual "name, rank, and serial number." The statute does not change preexisting law but explicitly confirms that employers who act in good faith may not be sued for providing employment references.
Formatted as questions and answers, the article is a guide for personnel at mental health facilities, who frequently receive subpoenas for confidential records and then, without the aid of an attorney, must figure out how to respond. The guide describes generally what subpoenas are, how they are issued and served, how to contest them, and how to protect confidential information while fulfilling one's obligations in response to a subpoena.
This article reports the findings of a study of six after-school programs around the state. The authors analyze what makes an after-school program successful in attracting students. They discuss such factors as structured homework assistance (which they found to be a major incentive for many students to attend), sites in the community, transportation to and from programs, and cultural enrichment for African-American students.