To encourage soldiers to seek help when they are having alcohol troubles, the U.S. Army is piloting a program at three stateside bases that gives soldiers with no prior history of alcohol-related problems the opportunity to receive treatment for alcohol abuse anonymously, without any delay to promotions or re-enlistments. Under existing programs, whether soldiers are compelled by their commanders to enroll or do so voluntarily, the enrollment is noted on their permanent record, and just two enrollments can be grounds for dismissal. Some officers were initially wary about the Army Confidential Alcohol Treatment and Education Pilot, but the program has gained strong support, according to Army officials.

In this article, economist Robert Frank looks at new research that suggests that a more efficient way of fighting crime is to increase the odds that lawbreakers will be apprehended and punished quickly, rather than enacting harsher punishments. The theory is based on findings that most criminals are not swayed by delayed and indeterminate sanctions, but are influenced if they believe that they will be charged and prosecuted in an expeditious manner. The article also discusses signaling techniques that local law enforcement can use to pacify gang activity.

Mississippi public school students will begin studying U.S. history with a stronger emphasis on civil rights as part of a new pilot program. Though instruction on civil-rights is already taught in Mississippi classrooms, educators believe that students living in a state that was host to many pivotal moments in civil rights history would profit from a better understanding of that era and its impact on the present society in which they are growing up. The program will eventually be mandatory for all public schools, a requirement believed to be the first of its kind in the nation.

Governments are increasingly using technology to help them determine how to better deliver government services. State and local governments are trying to collect huge amounts of information across agencies and then connect them to improve services and inform policy. Some municipalities are linking government databases to, for example, give a fire department access to building floor plans and inspection reports so that it can use software to analyze and make predictions, or to allow social services agencies to integrate multiple programs into one system. In another example, Dubuque, Iowa, is using sensors, software, and online computing to give its public and private customers the digital tools to analyze and alter their use of water, electricity and transportation.

Local governments may want to take note of private efforts in New York to place art in vacant buildings. Building owners temporarily unable to rent or develop storefronts are donating or leasing space to artists to place paintings on windows or exhibits in the interiors of the buildings for passerbys to see. In these partnerships, sometimes facilitated by a third party, the artist has a gallery of sorts to display their work and the landlord receives an attraction that may deter crime and attract new tenants. Some landlords are even offering to cover small expenses such as electricity. The community at large also benefits when its windows are filled with artwork instead of brown paper and “for rent” signs.

As the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan take an emotional and psychological toll on American troops, major universities are training students on how best to treat these veterans and their families. Instruction includes everything from workshops and semester-long graduate courses on military culture and combat experiences to a master’s program at the University of Southern California where students will interact with holographic images of troops.

Los Angeles is requiring that all new commercial and residential buildings have anti-graffiti coating unless the owners commit to removing graffiti within seven days or within 72 hours after an official notification. Under the terms of the ordinance, coating must cover the walls and doors from the ground to a height of at least nine feet. While at least one community association has objected to the ordinance, officials cite the flexibility of the ordinance in allowing property owners to choose which method they prefer.

In New York, Rockland County is set to equip its emergency vehicles with technology that will allow first responders to control specially-equipped traffic lights a quarter of a mile away to allow them to arrive at their destination more quickly and safely.

To address the massive data analysis needs of fields as diverse as bio-technology, astronomy, and computer science, I.B.M. Google, and other technology companies are working with universities to ramp up their research to Internet scale. The National Science Foundation will split $5 million among 14 universities to help them tackle these big data questions.