Exploring Supervision Fees in Four Probation Jurisdictions in Texas

In 2014, the University of Minnesota's Robina Institute of Criminal Law and Criminal Justice began a multi-state study that was tasked with exploring nationwide variations in the practices and policies of probation violations and revocations. A distinctive finding that grew out of the Robina Institute's work in two Texas counties was that probation supervision fees play a major role throughout the state. Probationers are required as one of 25 standard conditions to pay supervision fees, and—depending on the case— they may have to pay additional program fees, fines, and restitution. Texas probation departments depend on supervision fees for a large share of their operating budgets, and they are responsible for collecting those fees. Because payment of fees is a formal condition of probation, probationers may be sanctioned if they fall delinquent. Additionally, their probation terms may be extended to allow more time to pay, or early termination may be denied. In interviews, some probationers believed they could be revoked to jail or prison for failure to pay supervision fees. However, we heard from probation officers that probationers were not revoked solely for fees. The officers told us that nonpayment may be one reason probationers are revoked, but only when combined with other violations.The Robina Institute was encouraged by other probation chiefs in Texas to add additional counties to our study. To understand the interaction between probation and criminal justice fees in greater depth, the Robina Institute conducted a mixed methods study with 4 probation jurisdictions in Texas. Quantitative data was analyzed to examine the average amount of fees ordered, the breakdown of the fees ordered, and the percent of probationers who were current and delinquent on their fees. The quantitative analysis also examined the outcomes for those who were delinquent on their fees. Qualitative interviews were conducted with probationers to understand how fees impacted them and their experience of probation, as well as how they handled paying their fees. Probation officers were also interviewed to examine how fees were utilized and how officers collected fees.This report highlights some of the findings from qualitative interviews with over 50 probation officers and 46 probationers in 4 probation jurisdictions. A separate report highlights our quantitative findings; future Robina Institute publications will explore the quantitative and qualitative data in greater depth, as well as legal issues associated with the imposition and collection of supervision fees.The first section of this report presents findings from the focus groups with the probation officers. The second section focuses on findings from the probationer focus groups

The ALTCRISS project on board the International Space Station

The Altcriss project aims to perform a long term survey of the radiation environment on board the International Space Station. Measurements are being performed with active and passive devices in different locations and orientations of the Russian segment of the station. The goal is to perform a detailed evaluation of the differences in particle fluence and nuclear composition due to different shielding material and attitude of the station. The Sileye-3/Alteino detector is used to identify nuclei up to Iron in the energy range above 60 MeV/n. Several passive dosimeters (TLDs, CR39) are also placed in the same location of Sileye-3 detector. Polyethylene shielding is periodically interposed in front of the detectors to evaluate the effectiveness of shielding on the nuclear component of the cosmic radiation. The project was submitted to ESA in reply to the AO in the Life and Physical Science of 2004 and data taking began in December 2005. Dosimeters and data cards are rotated every six months: up to now three launches of dosimeters and data cards have been performed and have been returned with the end of expedition 12 and 13.Comment: Accepted for publication on Advances in Space Research http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.2007.04.03

Four Poynting Theorems

The Poynting vector is an invaluable tool for analysing electromagnetic problems. However, even a rigorous stress-energy tensor approach can still leave us with the question: is it best defined as \Vec{E} \cross \Vec{H} or as \Vec{D} \cross \Vec{B}? Typical electromagnetic treatments provide yet another perspective: they regard \Vec{E} \cross \Vec{B} as the appropriate definition, because \Vec{E} and \Vec{B} are taken to be the fundamental electromagnetic fields. The astute reader will even notice the fourth possible combination of fields: i.e. \Vec{D} \cross \Vec{H}. Faced with this diverse selection, we have decided to treat each possible flux vector on its merits, deriving its associated energy continuity equation but applying minimal restrictions to the allowed host media. We then discuss each form, and how it represents the response of the medium. Finally, we derive a propagation equation for each flux vector using a directional fields approach; a useful result which enables further interpretation of each flux and its interaction with the medium.Comment: 8 pages. Updated slightly from EJP versio

The role of angular momentum in the construction of electromagnetic multipolar fields

Multipolar solutions of Maxwell's equations are used in many practical applications and are essential for the understanding of light-matter interactions at the fundamental level. Unlike the set of plane wave solutions of electromagnetic fields, the multipolar solutions do not share a standard derivation or notation. As a result, expressions originating from different derivations can be difficult to compare. Some of the derivations of the multipolar solutions do not explicitly show their relation to the angular momentum operators, thus hiding important properties of these solutions. In this article, the relation between two of the most common derivations of this set of solutions is explicitly shown and their relation to the angular momentum operators is exposed.Comment: 13 pages, 2 figure

Effects of geometric anisotropy on local field distribution: Ewald-Kornfeld formulation

We have applied the Ewald-Kornfeld formulation to a tetragonal lattice of point dipoles, in an attempt to examine the effects of geometric anisotropy on the local field distribution. The various problems encountered in the computation of the conditionally convergent summation of the near field are addressed and the methods of overcoming them are discussed. The results show that the geometric anisotropy has a significant impact on the local field distribution. The change in the local field can lead to a generalized Clausius-Mossotti equation for the anisotropic case.Comment: Accepted for publications, Journal of Physics: Condensed Matte

The Effect of the Short-Range Correlations on the Generalized Momentum Distribution in Finite Nuclei

The effect of dynamical short-range correlations on the generalized momentum distribution $n(\vec{p},\vec{Q})$ in the case of $Z=N$, $\ell$-closed shell nuclei is investigated by introducing Jastrow-type correlations in the harmonic-oscillator model. First, a low order approximation is considered and applied to the nucleus $^4$He. Compact analytical expressions are derived and numerical results are presented and the effect of center-of-mass corrections is estimated. Next, an approximation is proposed for $n(\vec{p}, \vec{Q})$ of heavier nuclei, that uses the above correlated $n(\vec{p},\vec{Q})$ of $^4$He. Results are presented for the nucleus $^{16}$O. It is found that the effect of short-range correlations is significant for rather large values of the momenta $p$ and/or $Q$ and should be included, along with center of mass corrections for light nuclei, in a reliable evaluation of $n(\vec{p},\vec{Q})$ in the whole domain of $p$ and $Q$.Comment: 29 pages, 8 figures. Further results, figures and discussion for the CM corrections are added. Accepted by Journal of Physics

Multipole structure and coordinate systems

Multipole expansions depend on the coordinate system, so that coefficients of multipole moments can be set equal to zero by an appropriate choice of coordinates. Therefore, it is meaningless to say that a physical system has a nonvanishing quadrupole moment, say, without specifying which coordinate system is used. (Except if this moment is the lowest non-vanishing one.) This result is demonstrated for the case of two equal like electric charges. Specifically, an adapted coordinate system in which the potential is given by a monopole term only is explicitly found, the coefficients of all higher multipoles vanish identically. It is suggested that this result can be generalized to other potential problems, by making equal coordinate surfaces coincide with the potential problem's equipotential surfaces.Comment: 2 figure

How to be causal: time, spacetime, and spectra

I explain a simple definition of causality in widespread use, and indicate how it links to the Kramers Kronig relations. The specification of causality in terms of temporal differential eqations then shows us the way to write down dynamical models so that their causal nature /in the sense used here/ should be obvious to all. To extend existing treatments of causality that work only in the frequency domain, I derive a reformulation of the long-standing Kramers Kronig relations applicable not only to just temporal causality, but also to spacetime "light-cone" causality based on signals carried by waves. I also apply this causal reasoning to Maxwell's equations, which is an instructive example since their casual properties are sometimes debated.Comment: v4 - add Appdx A, "discrete" picture (not in EJP); v5 - add Appdx B, cause classification/frames (not in EJP); v7 - unusual model case; v8 add reference

On the exact electric and magnetic fields of an electric dipole

We derive from Jefimenko's equations a multipole expansion in order to obtain the exact expressions for the electric and magnetic fields of an electric dipole with an arbitrary time dependence. A few comments are also made about the usual expositions found in most common undergraduate and graduate textbooks as well as in the literature on this topic

Lepton Scattering off Few-Nucleon Systems at Medium and High Energies

The interpretation of recent Jlab experimental data on the exclusive process A(e,e'p)B off few-nucleon systems are analyzed in terms of realistic nuclear wave functions and Glauber multiple scattering theory, both in its original form and within a generalized eikonal approximation. The relevance of the exclusive process 4He(e,e'p)^3H for possible investigations of QCD effects is illustrated.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures. Plenary talk given by C. Ciofi degli Atti at the XX European Conference "Few Body Problems in Physics", Pisa, Italy, September 2007. To appear in Few-Body System