Inmate Release, Maltreated Children, China's Child Policy

Guest: Daniel McConkie, professor of law at Northern Illinois University  Over the weekend, some 6,000 people convicted on federal drug charges got out of prison early. The largest numbers are from Texas, Florida, California, North Carolina and Illinois. Why are they getting out? And what might their release mean for communities?

Guest: Dr. Kate McLaughlin, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology at the University of Washington  Every year in the US, reports of abuse or neglect involved more than six million children. The consequences of that tragic statistic are far-reaching in a child’s life – particularly on his or her ability to cope with emotions and trauma as they age.  A new study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry explains why that’s the case – and give hopes that these children can be trained to manage their emotional responses with the right help.

Guest: Sam Payne, Host of BYUradio’s “The Apple Seed”  Sam Payne joins us in studio and captivates us with a new story.

Guest: Valerie Hudson, professor and George H.W. Bush chair in the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University  Chinese officials have announced they will relax the one-child policy in place for more than 30 years. Couples will now be allowed to have two kids. Part of the motivation for the change is China’s shortage of young people to take care of an aging population and fill jobs that fuel the nation’s economy.

Guest: Russell Laczniak, Ph.D., professor of marketing and Interim Associate Dean for Graduate Programs & Research at Iowa State University  A growing body of research shows playing violent video games can affect kids in negative ways and that parents should limit that play. But what’s the best way to go about that?  A study out of Iowa State University discovered that some parenting styles are better than others at helping children play less violent video games.

Guest: Arup Indra, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Pharmaceutial Sciences at Oregon State University  The onset of cooler temperatures also means the onset of irritated skin for many people – dry, cracked hands or heels. Eczema can be brought on by seasonal changes or exposure to irritating chemicals. Dr. Arup Indra has been a pioneer in getting to the bottom of skin conditions like eczema. Several years ago he discovered a gene that plays a part. Now he’s come up with a treatment approach that goes beyond the standard "here, try this lotion" that makes people with eczema so weary.