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The End of Corruption and Impunity argues that it is feasible to limit the corruption that plagues developing regions of the world by implementing an international treaty designed to combat dysfunctional criminal justice systems and restore human rights.

Acknowledgments -- Contents -- List of Figures -- List of Tables -- Chapter 1: Introduction -- Chapter 2: Hypotheses -- Chapter 3: A Fresh View -- Theories -- A New Model -- Learned Helplessness -- A Loss of Control -- Chapter 4: Evidence from Three National Studies -- Grades and Demoralization -- Grades and Graduation -- Chapter 5: A New Model of Learning -- Rapid Performance Feedback -- The Conventional Model of Schooling -- RPF Model of Learning -- Impact Studies of Reading Assessment and Math Assessment -- League Table Efficiency -- A Misplaced Focus -- Chapter 6: Contradictions Resolved -- Teacher Quality -- Flawed Measures -- Omitted Variables -- Artificial Effects -- Inadequate Controls -- A Theoretical Explanation -- Checking the Assumptions -- Need for Research -- Grading Practices -- Methods -- Results -- Conclusion -- Chapter 7: Consequences for Minorities -- Measuring Preparation -- NELS -- Analysis -- Results -- Ever Dropped Out -- Ever Attended a Four-Year Institution -- Attained BA Degree -- Highly-Rigorous High School Curriculum -- Completed Calculus -- Completed Algebra 2 -- Attained 3.75 GPA -- Aspired to PhD or Professional Degree -- A Large Impact -- Chapter 8: No-Excuses Charter Schools -- A Threat to Validity -- Research on HCZ -- Research on KIPP -- A Formal Analysis -- Implications -- Chapter 9: Better Teachers -- Reliability and Validity Issues -- Assumptions -- Fixed Teacher Quality? -- Unbiased? -- Persistent Effects? -- Consequential? -- Stable Quality Differentials? -- Adequate Teacher Supply? -- Is VAM Cost-Effective? -- Implications -- Chapter 10: 22 Strategies -- Chapter 11: Solving the Achievement Gap -- Conclusion -- Appendices -- Appendix A -- Appendix B -- Appendix C -- Appendix D -- Appendix E -- Notes -- Chapter 1 -- Chapter 2 -- Chapter 3 -- Chapter 4 -- Chapter 5 -- Chapter 6 -- Chapter 7 -- Chapter 8

Empirical results are consistent with the hypothesis that socioeconomic factors contribute to initial disparities in performance that are perpetuated by demoralizing grading, testing, and grouping practices throughout the K-12 years. The hypothesis may explain why the achievement gap increases after children enter the school system, why Black students lose ground within schools and within classrooms, why value-added modeling (VAM) estimates of teacher performance are unstable from year to year, why Rothstein found that VAM estimates of teacher performance predict prior student performance, why VAM estimates of teacher performance predict gains in student achievement, and why persistent sorting may account for the Gates Foundation's Measures of Effective Teaching (MET) results despite random assignment of class rosters to teachers.

This article reviews literature regarding the nature and impact of corruption and its contribution to poverty in Africa, explains how the international community could create an institution that would investigate and deter corruption, and relates this policy proposal to current theories of underdevelopment. The article concludes that theorists agree on the importance of fighting corruption but have overlooked the need for international cooperation to create a body of criminal investigators. The article contributes a detailed policy proposal and an analysis of objections that might be raised regarding the establishment of a strong international capacity to fight corruption.

AbstractAbstractThe World Bank and IMF emphasize privatization and economic liberalization as a strategy to reduce poverty in developing nations. However, results have been disappointing. This article offers an alternative, in the form of a practical strategy for improving economic growth and reducing poverty in sub‐Saharan Africa that flows directly from an analysis of why Africans remain poor. This strategy aims to raise rural incomes and stimulate aggregate demand and output through the widespread introduction of rainwater harvesting, micro drip irrigation systems, and systems of agricultural cooperatives to cultivate and market high‐value agricultural products. The article concludes that the income generated in the rural sector would be multiplied by increases in income from induced consumption expenditures. The overall impact would be substantial and could greatly improve economic growth rates in sub‐Saharan Africa. The article discusses issues that must be addressed to realize these benefits fully, but concludes that an agriculture‐based poverty‐reduction strategy may potentially be much more effective than orthodox World Bank and IMF strategies.

AbstractThis article proposes a mechanism for injecting government funds as needed to restore financial stability during a crisis while ensuring that any taxpayer rescue funds that a firm is unable to repay serve to trigger individual financial losses for the financial industry professionals who were responsible for the lost taxpayer funds. This mechanism involves bonds that convert to equity after five years, in combination with regulations requiring that a significant portion of compensation must be deferred and paid in the form of stock options whose value would depend on the safety of decisions made in prior years. This mechanism is analyzed using a model of systemic risk and calculations of the magnitude of incentives to reduce risk.

A cost-effectiveness analysis of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) program suggests that Board certification is less cost-effective than a range of alternative approaches for raising student achievement, including comprehensive school reform, class size reduction, a 10% increase in per pupil expenditure, the use of value-added statistical methods to identify effective teachers, and the implementation of systems where student performance in math and reading is rapidly assessed 2—5 times per week. The most cost-effective approach, rapid assessment, is three magnitudes as cost-effective as Board certification.