Social Equity and COVID-19: The Case of African Americans

Emerging statistics demonstrate that COVID-19 disproportionately affects African Americans. The effects of COVID-19 for this population are inextricably linked to areas of systemic oppression and disenfranchisement, which are further exacerbated by COVID-19: (1) healthcare inequality; (2) segregation, overall health, and food insecurity; (3) underrepresentation in government and the medical profession; and (4) inequalities in participatory democracy and public engagement. Following a discussion of these issues, this article shares early and preliminary lessons and strategies on how public administration scholars and practitioners can lead in crafting equitable responses to this global pandemic to uplift the African American community

Principles in Patterns (PiP) : Institutional Approaches to Curriculum Design Institutional Story

The principal outputs of the PiP Project surround the Course and Class Approval (C-CAP) system. This web-based system built on Microsoft SharePoint addresses and resolves many of the issues identified by the project. Generally well received by both academic and support staff, the system provides personalised views, adaptive forms and contextualised support for all phases of the approval process. Although the system deliberately encapsulates and facilitates existing approval processes thus achieving buy-in, it is already achieving significant improvements over the previous processes, not only in reducing the administrative overheads but also in supporting curriculum design and academic quality. The system is now embedded across three faculties and is now considered by the University of Strathclyde to be a "core institutional service". Alongside the C-CAP system the PiP Project also cultivated a suite of approaches: an incremental systems development methodology; a structured and replicable evaluation approach, and; Strathclyde's Lean Approach to Efficiencies in Education Kit (SLEEK) business process improvement methodology Each is based on recognised formal techniques, providing the basis for a rigorous approach. This is contextualised within and adapted to the HE institutional context thus building the foundation not only for the project but ultimately for institution wide process improvement. This "institutional story" report summarises the principal outcomes of the Project

Crime In 2016: A Preliminary Analysis

Earlier this year, the Brennan Center analyzed crime data from the 30 largest cities in 2015, finding that crime overall remained the same as in 2014. It also found that murder increased by 14 percent, with just three cities — Baltimore, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. — responsible for half that increase. All told, 2015's murder rate was still near historic lows. The authors concluded that reports of a national crime wave were premature and unfounded, and that "the average person in a large urban area is safer walking on the street today than he or she would have been at almost any time in the past 30 years."This report updates those findings. It collects midyear data from police departments to project overall crime, violent crime, and murder for all of 2016

Crime Trends: 1990-2016

This report examines crime trends at the national and city level during the last quarter century. It covers the years 1990 through 2016, as crime rates peaked in 1991. It analyzes data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and from police departments from the nation's 30 largest cities. Data for 2016 are estimated, as full year data was not available at the time of publication.This report concludes that although there are some troubling increases in crimes in specific cities, there is no evidence of a national crime wave

Using philosophy for children as a means of fostering high quality learning and teaching: can using a ‘Question Quadrant’ help children at Key Stage 1 ask higher-order questions?

Available evidence suggests that philosophy for children (P4C) is a highly effective pedagogy in developing children’s higher-order thinking skills and has significant positive effects both in raising children’s attainment in core subjects and in the broader curriculum. This paper challenges the Piagetian assumption that younger children cannot use abstract higher-order thinking skills and suggests that learning and applying such skills should be central to primary education in the information age. It uses quantitative and qualitative data from my practitioner research using the ‘Question Quadrant’ P4C tool with a class of 6- and 7-year-olds to demonstrate that it is a pedagogy that, although challenging to pupil and teacher, can have demonstrable positive effects on children’s critical, creative, caring and collaborative thinking, even in the short term. It also suggests that more longitudinal research using quantitative methods is urgently required

Wild Origin Material - The Sine Qua Non of Botanic Garden Collections?

Botanic gardens make great claims for their content of 'wild origin material' for use in research, education and conservation. But the material included under this heading is very diverse in its nature and origin, covering a broad spectrum of histories. Various types of wild origin material are distinguished, and the effects of these distinctions on botanic gardens record systems briefly considered

Water surface profiles in side channel spillways : comparisons between computed and experimental values

This thesis is an investigation into the water surface profiles found in side channel spillways. The classical method proposed by Hinds is investigated, with specific reference to the water surface slope equation. A literature review is given on the evolution of the theory, from the conceptual ideas of Hinds through to a systematic method of analysis. Experimental methods used over the years are also discussed. A computer program called WSPISCS (Water Surface Profiles In Side Channel Spillways), is developed to calculate the water surface profile. This in turn alleviates the laborious and tedious hand calculations necessary in the past. An iterative, step by step calculation of the water surface profile from .a known control point is conducted. A Runge Kutta fourth order algorithm is employed for the numerical integration. The program is verified with previous hand calculated examples, including the classical example calculated by Hinds. A thorough sensitivity analysis is conducted with regard to the magnitude of the step length, and also to the location of the starting point. Comparisons are made with experimental results obtained over a number of years of undergraduate research. The correlation between the calculated and experimental profiles is generally good. The only exception is a horizontal receiving channel with a hydraulically steep outflow chute, where the experimental profile falls below the calculated one as the inflow rate increases

Life imprisonment and prison regime stability

This research examines the nature of life imprisonment in the British Prison Service with particular reference to the related issues of indeterminacy, regime stability and the ethical implications of current policies. Samples of over 400 inmates and 90 staff in 6 adult and young offender prisons were involved. The author addressed questions concerning the extent to which lifers are distinguishable from non-lifers, produce a stabilising effect on the regimes of their prisons and pay some price as a consequence. The prisons concerned are among those with the highest security classifications which have particular concern not to experience riots or other major acts of concerted indiscipline. Questions which followed from these were to do with both the efficacy and the ethics of either concentrating most lifers, as at present, separating them or determining allocation on a different basis. This cost-benefit perspective also explored the views of Prison Service policy-makers, prison Governors and local staff. The results of interviews, questionnaires and official records are analysed to discern how they bear on the research questions. Final commentary and recommendations are presented within the wider context of the recent (1991) Criminal Justice Bill

Father Knows Best: A Critique of Joel Feinberg\u27s Soft Paternalism

This thesis focuses on the issue of whether or not the government is ever justified in prohibiting the actions of an individual who is harming herself but not others. I first analyze some of the key historical figures in the paternalism debate and argue that these accounts fail to adequately meet the needs of a modern, pluralistic society. Then, I analyze and critique the nuanced, soft-paternalist strategy put forth by Joel Feinberg. Finally, I defend a version of hard paternalism, arguing that a balancing strategy that examines each action on a case-by-case basis shows all citizens equal, and adequate concern and respect