Financial inclusion: Policies and practices

As a key enabler for development, financial inclusion is firmly placed on the agenda of most governments as a key policy priority. Against this background, this round table provides a global and regional perspective on the policies and practices of financial inclusion. Using macro data, the collection reveals the diversity in the efforts towards achieving financial inclusion and the need for a progressive approach in financial inclusion. Further to this, the round table provides the regional perspectives on the policies and practices of financial inclusion in India, South Africa, and Australia

Background ozone over the United States in summer: Origin, trend, and contribution to pollution episodes

Observations indicate that ozone (O3) concentrations in surface air over the United States in summer contain a 20–45 ppbv background contribution, presumably reflecting transport from outside the North American boundary layer. We use a three-dimensional global model of tropospheric chemistry driven by assimilated meteorological observations to investigate the origin of this background and to quantify its contribution to total surface O3 on both average and highly polluted summer days. The model simulation is evaluated with a suite of surface and aircraft observations over the United States from the summer of 1995. The model reproduces the principal features in the observed distributions of O3 and its precursors, including frequency distributions of O3 concentrations and the development of regional high-O3 episodes in the eastern United States. Comparison of simulations with 1995 versus 1980 global fossil fuel emissions indicates that the model captures the previously observed decrease in the high end of the O3 probability distribution in surface air over the United States (reflecting reduction of domestic hydrocarbon emissions) and the increase in the low end (reflecting, at least in the model, rising Asian emissions). In the model, background O3 produced outside of the North American boundary layer contributes an average 25–35 ppbv to afternoon O3 concentrations in surface air in the western United States. and 15–30 ppbv in the eastern United States during the summer of 1995. This background generally decays to below 15 ppbv during the stagnation conditions conducive to exceedances of the 8-hour 0.08 ppmv (80 ppbv) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for O3. A high background contribution of 25–40 ppbv is found during 9% of these exceedances, reflecting convective mixing of free tropospheric O3 from aloft, followed by rapid production within the U.S. boundary layer. Anthropogenic emissions in Asia and Europe are found to increase afternoon O3 concentrations in surface air over the United States by typically 4–7 ppbv, under both average and highly polluted conditions. This enhancement is particularly large (up to 14 ppbv) for O3 concentrations in the 50–70 ppbv range, and would represent a major concern if the NAAQS were to be tightened

The effects of custodial vs. non-custodial sentences on re-offending: A systematic review of the state of knowledge

As part of a broad initiative of systematic reviews of experimental or quasiexperimental evaluations of interventions in the field of crime prevention and the treatment of offenders, our work consisted in searching through all available databases for evidence concerning the effects of custodial and non-custodial sanctions on reoffending. For this purpose, we examined more than 3,000 abstracts, and finally 23 studies that met the minimal conditions of the Campbell Review, with only 5 studies based on a controlled or a natural experimental design. These studies allowed, all in all, 27 comparisons. Relatively few studies compare recidivism rates for offenders sentenced to jail or prison with those of offenders given some alternative to incarceration (typically probation). According to the findings, the rate of re-offending after a non-custodial sanction is lower than after a custodial sanction in 11 out of 13 significant comparisons. However, in 14 out of 27 comparisons, no significant difference on re-offending between both sanctions is noted. Two out of 27 comparisons are in favour of custodial sanctions. Finally, experimental evaluations and natural experiments yield results that are less favourable to non-custodial sanctions, than are quasi-experimental studies using softer designs. This is confirmed by the meta-analysis including four controlled and one natural experiment. According to the results, non-custodial sanctions are not beneficial in terms of lower rates of re-offending beyond random effects. Contradictory results reported in the literature are likely due to insufficient control of pre-intervention differences between prisoners and those serving “alternative” sanctions

City of Ashland comprehensive water plan

33 pp. Bookmarks supplied by UO. Tables. Published March, 1991. Captured February 4, 2009.This update to the City's comprehensive water plan will outline improvements needed to serve existing and future growth within the City and will update the plan presented in the 1980 Water Plan for serving future development within the urban growth area around Ashland. [From the Plan

Petition for Inclusion in Central Arizona Project

Document: "Petition for Inclusion in Central Arizona Project: Economic Statistics of Pinal County Section I" November 1961, page 6I-6 1957 and 1956, the averages were 275 and 270 feet respectively. The average pumping lift in Pinal County during 1957 was 335 feet. Cotton, according to the Agricultural Extension Service of the University of Arizona, is Arizona's most profitable crop. The rate of return and the relationship of pumping costs to total costs of producing cotton, as estimated by the University of Arizona, are as follows: Estimated Cost of Producing Upland Cotton Arizona, 1959 (1) Cost Per Acre % of Total Cost Pre-harvest Cost $90,30 43.2Harvest Costs 62.90 30.0 Pumping Costs Power (2) 37,00 17.7 Fixed Chares on Pump and Well 19.00 9.1 Total Cost (3)$209,20 100.0% Total Return $340.00 (1)- Based upon yield of 2 bales per acre and sale price of 34 cents per pound. (2)- Based upon pumping lift of 350 feet and power cost of 1 cent per kilowatt-hour. (3)- Except land and management. Future Outlook The west-central portion of Pinal County, which is the area generally encompassed by Electrical Districts Number Two, Three, Four and Five, shows continued growth potential. The Arizona State Employment Service has recently conducted a survey of this area and some of its findings are as follows:Epson Perfection 4870 Photo, 400 dpi, 8 bit, 1,300,415 byte

Petition for Inclusion in Central Arizona Project

Document: "Petition for Inclusion in Central Arizona Project: Economic Statistics of Pinal County Section III" November 1961, map (foldout), no paginationEpson Perfection 4870 Photo, 400 dpi, 24 bit, 2,292,896 byte

Petition for Inclusion in Central Arizona Project

Document: "Petition for Inclusion in Central Arizona Project: Economic Statistics of Pinal County Section I" November 1961, page 2I-2 Acreage of Principal Crops Pinal County - 1960 Crop Acreage % of Total Alfalfa 19,000 6.6% Citrus 55 - Cotton 164,700 57.6 Grains 84,020 29.4 Vegetables and Other 18,125 6.4 Total 285,900* 100.0% * - Includes crops and pasture; acreage double-cropped is counted once only and not all crops are shown; excludes land "laid out" of production under regulations of U. S. Department of Agriculture. Source: University of Arizona, "Arizona Agriculture, 1961". The 1957 Short Staple cotton crop averaged 2.71 bales per acre in Pinal County compared with 2.41 bales per acre in the state of Arizona. Nationally, Arizona is a leader in cotton production per acre. Machine harvesting accounted for 48% of the crop harvested. There are 32 cotton gins in Pinal County. Value of Farm Products Pinal County - 1959* All Farm Products $63,651,000 All Crops 50,915,000 Field Crops 50,915,000 Vegetables 261,000 Fruits 13,000 Forest Products 182,000 Livestock 12,736,000 Poultry 636,000 Dairy 344,000 Other 11,705,000 * - Source: U. S. Department of Agriculture.Epson Perfection 4870 Photo, 400 dpi, 8 bit, 1,408,006 byte

Petition for Inclusion in Central Arizona Project

Document: "Petition for Inclusion in Central Arizona Project: Economic Statistics of Pinal County" November 1961, title pageECONOMIC STATISTICS of PINAL COUNTY, ARIZONA and ELECTRICAL DISTRICT NUMBER TWO ELECTRICAL DISTRICT NUMBER THREE ELECTRICAL DISTRICT NUMBER FOUR ELECTRICAL DISTRICT NUMBER FIVE of PINAL COUNTY Prepared by R. W. BECK AND ASSOCIATES Analytical and Consulting Engineers Columbus, Nebraska Phoenix, Arizona Seattle, Washington November 1961Epson Perfection 4870 Photo, 400 dpi, 8 bit, 1,059,826 byte

Petition for Inclusion in Central Arizona Project

Document: "Petition for Inclusion in Central Arizona Project: Economic Statistics of Pinal County Section I" November 1961, page 8I-8 "Arkota Steel Company is in the process of building a plant for the production of steel directly from magnetic iron. Some 20 workers are presently being employed. When the plant is in operation, it is expected that the number employed will be from 75 to 100. "The major crop in Pinal County is cotton. The trend to mechanization in the farming industry, along with increased acreage of vegetable and lettuce crops in Pinal County, is having a stabilizing effect on the labor market."Epson Perfection 4870 Photo, 400 dpi, 8 bit, 986,584 byte