 |
|
|
| Efficiency |
|
Although just launched in March 2012, the governor of Pennsylvania’s Innovation Office has already saved the state more than $80 million in found efficiencies. Cost-saving interventions include finding lower-cost providers for pharmacy benefit services, changing default settings on agency printers, consolidating three human-services licensing operations in the state Department of Welfare, and expanding volunteer programs for state parks. In total, 15 initiatives across several agencies have been implemented.
|
|
| Policing and Crime Prevention |
|
Baltimore and Philadelphia — and soon Washington, DC — are employing sophisticated crime-prediction software to identify which parolees are likely to commit crimes again. Developed by a University of Pennsylvania criminologist, the computer algorithm can help parole officers determine how much supervision inmates will need when they are released. Currently, parole officers rely on criminal records to make this determination, leading sometimes to inconsistent and ad hoc decision-making. The software could potentially be used to help set bail amounts and decide appropriate sentences in the future. Prisoner rights activists have expressed concerns about the new software.
|
|
| Higher Education |
|
A growing number of states are releasing user-friendly data that compares the salaries of recent graduates based on which college they attended and which degree they attained. It is hoped that arming students and their families with this information will help them assess the potential return on investment they should expect from different schools and different majors. Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, Texas, Colorado, and Nevada have released or are preparing to release this data.
|
|
| Environmental Management |
|
In what is being regarded as a “tipping point,” an increasing number of cities are creating or expanding “green infrastructure” initiatives to curb polluted waterways and save money. To lessen the impact of storm runoff, Seattle is preserving the natural filter of its existing wetlands, subsidizing gardens in which native plants are grown in special soils that hold and percolate water into the ground, and encouraging residents to redirect gutter downspouts to lawns, gardens, and rain barrels. Cities and residents in North America and Europe are installing rooftop gardens, pollution-filtering assemblages of trees and plants, and permeable pavement, allowing these places to forego building or enlarging costly sewage treatment plants. Other beneficial results of these interventions include the reduction of urban heat island temperatures and improvements in air quality.
|
|
| Technology |
|
Arlington National Cemetery has made it easier for visitors to locate gravesites of loved ones with a new GPS-enabled mobile app. ANC Explorer allows users to search for specific gravesites using personal identifying information of the soldier or the physical location in the cemetery. To compile the underlying database, the US Army photographed over 250,000 gravesites, niches, and markers, and matched each photo with existing records and historical documents. Officials expect updates of the app to include facility locations, event notifications, and self-guided tours.
|
|
| Secondary Education |
|
The Arkansas Department of Education and the University of Arkansas are teaming up to address teacher shortages in economically disadvantaged districts by recruiting college seniors for an accelerated certification program. The new Arkansas Teacher Corps program places college students in an intensive six- to eight-week training program that prepares them to teach high-need subjects. Fellows will receive a $5,000 stipend in addition to their regular salary. Officials hope to place 30 to 40 fellows by August.
|
|
| Giving Citizens the Tools to Grade Their Governments |
|
Washington, DC, is pioneering a system that takes performance and accountability to a new level. With systems like Grade.DC.Gov, agencies can be evaluated by a set of benchmarks held in the minds of citizens who wish to share their feelings. Feedback has become instantaneous, and so, city officials hope, can the responsiveness of the city government.
|
| Government and the Micro-Data Economy |
|
The impact of micro data should not be underestimated. Making the vast stores of information that governments collect open to all will have a profound effect on business and on our quality of life. This kind of activity is playing out all around the country, providing benefits not only to business but also to the governments that open up their data.
|
| The Hard Choices on Public Pensions |
|
In government, the temptation to put off hard decisions is great. Rhode Island's capital city is addressing the fiscally crippling problems presented by its retirement system. Can Illinois find the political will to do the same?
|
| The Catch-22 of Restoring Lost ID |
|
Solving the identity problem presents a catch-22: To protect the integrity of the identity an ID card represents, getting official identification can't be too easy. Yet negotiating the bureaucracy to assemble the necessary background documents is complex. A Florida nonprofit is stepping in to help the poor and homeless obtain the identification they need to participate in society.
Newsletter produced by: Jessica Engelman, editor; Brendan St. Amant, researcher and writer.
|
|
|
Back To Top
|
NOTE: The highlights in this newsletter link to source articles from other websites, and may not be available after a certain length of time.
Please feel free to forward this message to colleagues.
You are receiving this newsletter because of preferences you selected as a registered user of the Government Innovators Network®.
To unsubscribe, login to http://innovations.harvard.edu using your email address and password, then click "User profile" at the top right corner to change your preferences.
About the Ash Center
The Roy and Lila Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation advances excellence in governance and strengthens democratic institutions worldwide. Through its research, education, international programs, and government innovations awards, the Center fosters creative and effective problem solving and serves as a catalyst for addressing many of the most pressing needs of the world's citizens. The Ford Foundation is a founding donor of the Center. Additional information about the Ash Center is available at http://ash.harvard.edu.
|
