Social Issues

According to a recent study, the use of alcohol, tobacco and Ecstasy among high school seniors in the metro area is on the decline. We'll examine the drug of choice for adolescents and as well as other drug abuse trends in the Twin Cities.
An expert on mediation says conflict resolution doesn't always have a happy ending. And he says forcing a resolution can be the worst thing for parties in a dispute.
Former president of Ireland and prominent human rights activist Mary Robinson joins Kerri Miller in the studio to talk about how she's trying to convince worldwide corporations to be more ethical.
President Bush is pushing for an expanded guest worker program, but he's finding strong opposition from some Republican leaders and even a number of immigrant workers.
Dave Anderson is resigning as head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs after just one year in the job. Anderson earlier removed himself from decisions on tribal recognition and Indian gambling to avoid the appearance of any conflict of interest, because of his past work in the gambling industry.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty is banking on some sort of casino revenue to help balance the state's budget over the next two years. But the gambling debate straddles many political fault lines and cuts across party loyalties, making it a tricky issue to negotiate.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty's recommendation to reduce the number of people eligible for what he calls Minnesota's "welfare health care" programs has returned to the fore debates over welfare and work reminiscent of American politics from a decade ago. New York Times reporter Jason DeParle is out with a new book on America's 1996 welfare overhaul called "American Dream: Three Women, Ten Kids and a Nation's Drive to end Welfare." DeParle gave this speech at a recent forum on welfare reform in St. Paul.
Civil rights activist Harry "Spike" Moss is best known as a frequent critic of poor police treatment of African Americans. He has another side that most people don't see.
Hard work and sustained good luck make the difference as people try to escape welfare. A new book ponders why generations of families depend on government aid.