Given the recent economic crisis and the accompanying funding cuts across social service programs, it is helpful to observe the geographic distribution of demographic characteristics and economic conditions that together create a human service needs profile. The authors provide a conceptual framework for a systematic analysis of county…

The study explores how differences in rural community contexts relate to early adolescent alcohol use. Data were gathered from 1,424 adolescents in the sixth through eighth grades in 22 rural Northern Plains communities, as well as 790 adults, parents, teachers, and community leaders. Multilevel modeling analyses revealed that community…

Economic shocks are sudden events causing a significant impact on the local economy. Disaster community literature predicts that community outcomes from shocks will depend on the kind of shock. Consensus crisis shocks will be followed by increases in social capital and quality of life. Corrosive community shocks will result in declines in these…

Shifts the focus of poverty theory from individual characteristics to a more structural, community level. Defines and tests a measurement model of a structural conceptualization of poverty by applying confirmatory factor analysis to data on 5 poverty indicators from 881 nonadjacent nonmetropolitan counties. Contains 69 references. (SV)

The bibliography cites social and economic research pertaining to rural British Columbia. Some 286 entries cover research from before 1940 through 1969. Analysis of the entries by date and source of publication precedes the main list of entries, which is arranged alphabetically by author. Separate indexes are included for author, subject, and…

The School Community Council of the Fort Gay-Thompson area (West Virginia), organized in May 1971, requested a study in order to look at its past, assess present needs, and plan for the future. The study of the Fort Gay-Thompson School Attendance Area was designed to: (1) describe the area; (2) analyze the characteristics of the people living…

Economic trends in the 1960's in the Iowa rural renewal area, Appanoose and Monroe counties, show that the level of economic activity increased in the area but was clearly below the level for the state. Economic trends suggest that to provide economic opportunities in the area, by 1980, comparable to those available on the average to all residents…

Unemployment rates vary considerably across nonmetro counties, where adjusted average annual unemployment rate was 12.2% in 1984 compared with 10.4% in metro areas. Differences in unemployment rates among nonmetro areas can be explained in part according to their dependence on agriculture, mining, manufacturing, or other single sources of income.…

Examines economic, social, and fiscal indicators available from federal data sources that can be used in classification systems for rural school districts. Compares the strengths and weaknesses of the various indicators. Recommends that researchers use multiple indicators or alternative data sources to mitigate potential problems of unintentional…

Before being included in Kanazawa City in 1954, all villages in the Yasuhara district of Japan might have been called model village communities, for these farming communities were built around common utilization of naturally-flowing ground water, and the rice farmers worked communally exhibiting principles of closeness and equality. When Yasuhara…

A study of effects of differentiated farm structures and industry structures on socioeconomic conditions in 3,037 counties for 1970 and 1980 indicated that employment in core industry and a pattern of family farming contribute to more favorable socioeconomic conditions. Both peripheral and state employment lowered socioeconomic conditions relative…

An adult education master plan for Virginia's New River Community College is presented. The plan is divided into the following areas: (1) college philosophy and objectives; (2) description of the service region (population, educational and economic data and employment characteristics); (3) what the college is doing, should be doing, and is…

The theoretical differentiation of the village from the town is made on the basis of a complex of characteristics, which includes: the village was engaged mainly in agriculture; the culture, living conditions and organization of public services were far behind those of the town; the village did not exercise the functions of an administrative,…

Community vitality is no longer tied to economic diversity. Community viability analysis provides a broader perspective by considering community self-image and social activities. Horizontal linkages, social solidarity, threshold values, and community catchment areas are explained and applied to an analysis that shows small towns such as Olsburg…

Measures of school achievement over a 4 year lag period in Virginia's 95 school districts were used to investigate the relationship of investment in education to student achievement since variations in spending among counties would have four years to affect student achievement levels. Because educational output is a function of selected…