Dec 26, 2013 | Lead Articles, Number 4, Print Edition, Volume 46
In Massachusetts, an individual with a drug or alcohol problem may be confined against his or her will in a publicly funded detoxification facility. Such a confinement is known as a civil commitment, and may occur (pursuant to chapter 123, section 35 of the...
Dec 26, 2013 | Lead Articles, Number 4, Print Edition, Volume 46
In 2011, the unemployment rate for military veterans discharged between the years 2001 and 2011 stood at 12.1%. The jobless rate for all veterans stood at 8.3%. Meanwhile, the overall unemployment rate hovered at 8.8%. Between the U.S. government’s current budgetary...
Dec 19, 2013 | Lead Articles, Number 3, Print Edition, Volume 46
Today, it is common for employers to look at job applicants’ credit history before making hiring decisions. Even a cursory look at a popular job listing website reveals that employers require credit checks for jobs as diverse as doing maintenance work, offering...
Dec 19, 2013 | Lead Articles, Number 3, Print Edition, Volume 46
Empirical data, qualitative analysis, and case studies document the prevalence of medical debt in America. However, the influence of medical debt on credit reports and scores has not been thoroughly examined. We do know that medical payment data are not uniformly...
Dec 19, 2013 | Lead Articles, Number 3, Print Edition, Volume 46
Our current credit-scoring systems have a disparate impact on people and communities of color. These systems are rooted in our long history of housing discrimination and the dual credit market that resulted from it. Moreover, many credit-scoring mechanisms include...