Boston: There's an App for That

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/06/boston-theres-an-app-for-that-107661.html#.VYml6PlViko

Ben Schreckinger

Politico

10 June 2014

Text / Over 3000 Words

Boston had a hard time solving civic problems efficiently and holding its leadership accountable. In response, a team in the Mayor's office was charged with "making Boston better through clever, low-cost hacks" such as a mobile app that allows residents to send government service requests to City Hall.

Colombia's Data-Driven Fight Against Crime

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/11/20/colombias-data-driven-fight-against-crime

Tina Rosenberg

The New York Times

20 November 2014

Text / 1500-3000 Words

Colombia has attempted to decrease murder and homicide rates by setting up curfews for teenagers, forcing bars to close earlier in the evening, and creating gun laws to prevent the carrying of weapons. As a result of this epidemiological, data-driven approach, along with other governmental factors, the homicide rate has decreased significantly in most of the cities in which it was implemented.

Excess, deprivation mark state prisons

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/prison-223376-time-most.html

Brian Joseph

Tony Saavedra

Orange County Register

2 September 2011

Text / 1500-3000 Words

The California prison system is overwhelmed after adopting tough-on-crime laws with no improvement. New York adopted more tolerant policies and has decreased the state's crime rate and its prison population.

Dealing with blight complaints requires new approach, Memphis says

http://www.fayobserver.com/a9f5d553-c59b-5643-9b12-55aca76dde64.html

Greg Barnes

Fayetteville Observer

22 February 2014

Text / Under 800 Words

In Memphis, a creative blight-reduction initiative called 25 Square Blocks broke down the city into blocks. Inspectors were able to quickly identify all the violations and fix them, using the same amount of funding, but less time, as the old call-and-respond model.

For Teenage Smokers, Removing the Allure of the Pack

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/01/for-teenage-smokers-removing-the-allure-of-the-pack

Tina Rosenberg

The New York Times

1 August 2012

Text / 1500-3000 Words

Adolescent smoking remains a challenging health problem because of the allure of cigarette branding. Australia is piloting the transformation of cigarette packaging with a generic look that reduces the appeal of smoking. In Florida, the Truth campaign has exposed that cigarette companies targeted teenage consumers and, in response, created a set of new advertisements that presented the cigarette industry with transparency.

Houston's solution to mental health system problems offers a case study for Milwaukee

http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/houstons-solution-to-mental-health-system-problems-offers-a-case-study-for-milwaukee-b9928490z1-210715811.html

Meg Kissinger

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

8 June 2013

Text / 1500-3000 Words

In Houston, TX, many individuals with mental illnesses cycled in and out of emergency care while arrested or incarcerated. Houston’s police department has decreased the number of incarcerated who have mental illness by opening a division to mental health called the Chronic Consumer Stabilization Unit. Now Milwaukee seeks to replicate Houston’s results.

How can Milwaukee County's broken mental health system be fixed?

http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/chronic-crisis-how-can-milwaukee-countys-broken-mental-health-system-be-fixed-229974841.html

Meg Kissinger

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

5 November 2013

Text / Under 800 Words

Milwaukee County’s mental health system put more resources in expensive emergency care rather than invest in programs that offer continual care. As a result, Milwaukee County identifies nine solutions from other cities that have had success in repairing mental health systems. Solutions include the ending of reliance on emergency care, expand community support programs, change laws, and supportive housing.

How Conservative, Tough-On-Crime Utah Reined In Police Militarization

http://www.buzzfeed.com/evanmcsan/how-conservative-tough-on-crime-utah-reined-in-police-milita

Evan McMorris-Santoro

Buzzfeed

1 September 2014

Text / 800-1500 Words

The militarization of police forces in cases such as Ferguson, Missouri’s riots has led the state of Utah to question what can be done to prevent such an overuse of force from happening. Utah expanded upon a law passed by Democratic legislature in Maryland, which Utah’s ACLU reworked with some libertarians, to require the police to provide data about SWAT team usage. Utah’s success demonstrates that demilitarization bills passed with bipartisan support are not impossible.

How one of America's most dangerous cities reduced gun violence

http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/3/12/a-confused-war-reducing-gun-violence-part-1.html

Rachel Waldholz

Mariel Carr

Al Jazeera

12 March 2015

Video / 5-15 Minutes

Richmond, California ranked among the highest homicide rates in the country. The city created the Office of Neighborhood Safety to engage the community in the effort to curb gun violence and prevent homicides. ONS works directly with the young people who are at risk and have succeeded in reducing the homicide rate.

Indian authorities are out in force to enforce use of toilets

http://www.globalpost.com/article/6503467/2015/03/31/indian-authorities-are-out-force-enforce-use-toilets

Mandakini Gahlot

Global Post

31 March 2015

Text / 800-1500 Words

The Indian government is attempting to stop the way in which people openly defecate in public by providing households with toilets. The real key is education about hygiene so the people understand why proper toilets are necessary to clean drinking water and public health.