A Decade of Reform: Felony Disenfranchisement Policy in the United States

Findings published in "A Decade of Reform: Felony Disenfranchisement Policy" in the United States disclose that since 1997, sixteen states have implemented policy reforms that have reduced the restrictiveness of these laws, and more than 600,000 people in seven states have regained their voting rights

Next Big Thing? Methamphetamine in the United States

A new major study disproving the popular belief that there exists a growing methamphetamine "epidemic" within the United States. 41 page

Optimal Co-linear Gaussian Beams for Spontaneous Parametric Down-Conversion

I investigate the properties of spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC) involving co-linear Gaussian spatial modes for the pump and the photon collection optics. Approximate analytical and numerical results are obtained for the peak spectral density, photon bandwidth, pair collection probability, heralding ratio, and spectral purity, as a function of crystal length and beam focusing parameters. I address the optimization of these properties individually as well as jointly, and find focusing conditions that simultaneously bring the pair collection probability, heralding ratio, and spectral purity to near-optimal values. These properties are also found to be nearly scale invariant, that is, ultimately independent of crystal length. The results obtained here are expected to be useful for designing SPDC sources with high performance in multiple categories for the next generation of SPDC applications.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures. Corrected normalization coefficient in eqn. 1 and a typo in the definition of wavenumber following eqn. 7. No results were affected by these correction

25-Year Quagmire: The "War On Drugs" and Its Impact on American Society

Analysis, based on an analysis of 25 years of government data regarding drugs and the criminal justice system, finds that the "war on drugs" has increasingly targeted low-level offenders for arrest and incarceration, and is largely failing to provide adequate treatment in prison. 33 pagesAnalysis, based on an analysis of 25 years of government data regarding drugs and the criminal justice system, finds that the "war on drugs" has increasingly targeted low-level offenders for arrest and incarceration, and is largely failing to provide adequate treatment in prison

Uprooting Diversity? Peasant Farmers’ Market Engagements and the on-Farm Conservation of Crop Genetic Resources in the Guatemalan Highlands

The long-term security of the global food supply is contingent upon the on-farm conservation of crop genetic diversity. Without it, food crops lack the ability to evolve in the face of new pests, emerging plant diseases, and changing environmental conditions. The genetic diversity of many of humankind’s major food crops is cultivated in the field, primarily by peasant farmers of the global south. As the widening of global markets affects the lives of these farmers in new ways, the future provisioning of crop genetic resources and, ultimately, the security of the global food supply is in doubt. The author investigates how the participation of Guatemalan peasants in the market economy is related to the on-farm conservation of crop genetic diversity in three crops: maize, legumes, and squash. Participation in markets is not inherently detrimental to the provisioning of crop genetic resources but, without the proper protections in place, market participation may unleash processes that contribute to genetic erosion over time. The author concludes by sketching seven policy prescriptions that would encourage the on-farm conservation of crop genetic diversity in a way that is consistent with peasant farmers’ development objectives.crop genetic resources, peasant agriculture, food security, market integration, Guatemala

A Survey of Studies on Judicial Selection

The Alaska legislature is considering a bill — Senate Joint Resolution 3 — that would put before voters a state constitutional amendment to change the composition of the Alaska Judicial Council and the way its members are selected. The Alaska Judicial Council plays a constitutionally-mandated role in the selection of Alaska’s judges and also makes recommendations to voters concerning retaining or not retaining judges as part of the judicial retention election process. This article reviews selected existing studies relevant to potential effects of this proposed change to the council composition — studies that examined judicial effectiveness, responsiveness of judges to public opinion, and public perception of judges. Also provided are flowcharts of the selection processes for members of the Alaska Judicial Council and of judges of the Alaska Court System; a detailed table of judicial selection methods in U.S. states and the District of Columbia; and a bibliography.Studies on Nominating Commissions / Measures of Voter Satisfaction / Objective Measures of Judicial Performance / Complexity of Judicial Decisions / Judicial Productivity and Independence / Politicization of Judicial Elections / Conclusion / Resources on Judicial Selection (bibliography) / References (bibliography)Ye

Uneven Justice: State Rates of Incarceration by Race and Ethnicity

Examines racial and ethnic disparities by state, and finds substantial variation in the degree of black-to-white incarceration. The report finds that African Americans are incarcerated at nearly six times the rate of whites and Latinos at nearly double the rate. Five states, located in the Northeast and Midwest, incarcerate blacks at more than ten times the rate of whites. Recommended reforms include: addressing disparities through changes in drug policy, mandatory sentencing laws, reconsideration of "race neutral" policies, and changes in resource allocation

The Ability of Specific-wavelength LED Lights to Attract Night-flying Insects

This paper describes a portable collecting light, designed by the authors, that weighs 0.3 kg, is powered by 8 AA batteries, and uses 9 light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to attract night-flying insects. Five different wavelengths of these LED lights, all within the long-wave ultraviolet spectrum, were compared to each other and to a commercially-available 15w fluorescent ultraviolet tube light for their abilities to collect insects over a series of 5 nights in July 2016. There was no difference in order richness, total specimen abundance, or the specimen abundance of most common orders between any of the wavelengths tested. Most LED wavelengths, however, caught fewer Diptera specimens than the fluorescent tube light, largely due to a lower abundance of chironomid midges. Differences in specimen abundance were greater based on sampling date or specific sampling location than based on type of collecting light. Due to their greater portability and possibly lower bycatch of Diptera, these new LED lights are presented as a potential alternative to ultraviolet tube lights