May 15, 1999

Project New Hope, Milwaukee experiment in lifting people out of poverty by providing them guaranted job at sufficient wage, together with child and health care, suggests that inner-city poverty may be even harder to alleviate than is understood; has produced most comprehensive study of poor families of post-welfare age; recruited 677 low-income adults and made offer of jobs of 30 hours a week at guaranteed wage; only 27 percent stuck with jobs long enough to work way out of poverty and incomes were statistically no better than those in control group; project's clients showed no declines in depression and no growth in self-esteem, when compared with control group, despite conventional theory that going to work makes low-income adults feel better about themselves; photo (M)

The old factory building on 43d Avenue and 97th Place looks much like its neighbors in that industrial stretch of Corona, Queens. At one end, workers sell live chickens from big metal cages. In another section, seamstresses piece together ladies' garments. Nowhere is there a hint that this is actually a place with a pretty interesting past, that just 60 years ago, artisans for Louis Comfort Tiffany worked here, shaping fanciful lampshades laden with peacocks and dragonflies of glass.

After giving damning evidence to Internal Affairs investigators, Eric Turetzky, a rookie New York City police officer, emerged from an interview room at the 70th Precinct station house in Brooklyn. It was not yet dawn on Aug. 15, 1997, six days after a handcuffed defendant, Abner Louima, allegedly was tortured in a bathroom at the precinct. The mood was tense. Some officers muttered angry words at Officer Turetzky for cooperating with Internal Affairs. But one burly, towering officer approached Officer Turetzky, and, as Internal Affairs investigators braced for a confrontation, the officer said in a loud, clear voice, ''I wanted to let Eric know he is doing the right thing.''

Miami Heat defeat New York Knicks, 87-72, in fourth game of NBA playoffs; photos (M)

Chris Antley, who rode Charismatic to victory in Kentucky Derby, discusses his struggle with substance abuse; photos (S)