Therapeutic courts operating in Alaska seek to reduce the recidivism rate of DUI offenders, by "getting the alcohol out of the alcoholic." Historically, 75% of Alaska's DUI offenders re-offend, costing taxpayers millions, and putting millions more at risk on the roadways. In Anchorage's Wellness Court, offenders "opt in" to an intense 18 month program that includes sobriety, treatment, group meetings and employment. As a result of the program, seventy-five percent of the graduates in the Anchorage program did not re-offend.


Woonsocket Rhode Island's Family Resource/Community Action organization and Connecting for Children and Families have joined forces to create the Family Support Network. The Network will help simplify the often-complex task of getting help, and act as "One Stop Shopping" for families in need. Historically, families needing several uniquely different services would have to navigate the bureaucracy of service agencies and providers. The Network, consisting of two drop in centers, will provide practically any service needed by a family striken by poverty or abuse, from food to parenting help.

Erie County's financially strapped 52-library system has a new patron: the business community. The county legislature has created a new tax-incentive program that encourages businesses to "adopt" local libraries by helping to fund their activities and resource acquisition. The program, modeled on similar "payment in lieu of taxes" schemes that benefit other entities such as parks and schools, should provide "substantial help" for the $30 million system, more than offsetting other cuts to the library budget.


Experts from the new Wisconsin Entrepreneurs' Network, a joint effort involving the University of Wisconsin, the WiSys Technology Foundation, and the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, will soon help start-up businesses ease through the patent process, raise money from interested investors, and smoothly obtain government grants. Four regional technology-transfer centers and 19 satellite offices will direct the $1 million a year effort. Officials estimate that the staffed network will serve more than 10,000 people and contribute more than $500 million to the state's economy during its first year.

In an effort to inform recent immigrants about health-care choices, city agencies in NYC are incorporating innovative means to address health-care concerns. Traditional outreach efforts tend to fail to educate recent immigrants due to such reasons as language barriers. Therefore, more culturally-based and directed efforts such as utilizing cinema, a favorite of the South Asian immigrant population, offers a way by which these issues may be addressed. Purvi Shah, director of Sakhi, an organization serving sufferers of domestic violence, explains the rationale for using cinema.  "People might go to a film screening because it has entertainment value...than simply if it had been advertised as a domestic violence organization giving a presentation."


New course work for Fall 2005 promises a more unified approach to African-American studies for elementary and middle school students in Maryland. This course work will be provided through a collaboration between The Reginald F. Lewis Museum and Maryland's education department and will be unique because it will be taught over several years and incorporated into all aspects of learning, not just a particular subject.

The Palm Beach County Health Department is turning to a new technology to help reduce the stink of a local compost facility. The compost pile, containing largely horse manure, uses biofilters, a technology that is not common in the United States. The biofilters aim to dramatically reduce the smell of the facility, so that the residential neighbors are not bothered.


Last month, Oregon voters passed Measure 37, a law that reverses the state's famous strict policy of limiting development with the goal of preserving the environment. Although the new law extends property rights, it is not without its limits. Many municipalities are seeking to preserve aspects of the old policy, establishing an expensive application process to develop under the new law.

The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority has won praise for its use of the internet to track domestic violence and assault. The authority was presented with an award for InfoNet, a system that centralizes information from domestic violence and sexual assault aid agencies. Although publishing information online, the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority was careful to design a system that protects the privacy of the victims.


Can less regulation of the insurance industry actually lead to lower insurance rates? The state of Texas believes it can. The state is now allowing insurance companies to change their rates without getting prior approval from the government. Some believe the new measure will actually result in lower rates, since increased competition could drive down prices.


Officials in Sarasota Country, Florida are looking to share computer programs among different agencies with the goal of improving the efficiency of government. The county leaders are looking to standardize various programs, such as those that handle payroll. They hope to use technology to create a system where state agencies are not duplicating the work of other state agencies.

Ten years ago, the Pierce County Drug Court was one of only 20 other jurisdictions that used treatment as an option for non-violent offenders. Now, the number tops 1,500, and the Pierce County Drug Court has established itself as an influential institution leading the effort to treat and prevent addiction problems. Through innovative chemical dependency counseling, the county has seen a 36%-38% graduation rate of nearly 2,500 people who have entered the program. Researchers confirm that the closer supervision that the drug court system has provided translates into fewer crimes and a more rapid break of the cycle of addiction. In addition, the program's approach saves the state thousands as it bypasses expensive incarcerations and court processes.


With the goal of helping restore the self-sufficiency and confidence of the women and children it serves, the $3 million, 20-unit San Antonio Urban Ministries Fairweather Family Lodge is open for business. The campus, underwritten by private grants and federal money, provides transitional housing units for homeless single mothers diagnosed with mental illnesses. In exchange for lodging, meals, and services, women must pay about $300 a month when they land a job, with their major goals being to work on a GED and find employment in three months. Mental health and homeless experts are united in their support of the program's ability to keep the family unit stable through this transition period.

A new group soon to launch in Denver, Latina Chamber will serve as a centralized resource and advocate for Hispanic women. This initiative aims to provide a single resource where members can find consolidated information and support for education, health, leadership, immigration support, and business development.  This group seeks to address the problem of a community that lacks adequate communication channels, spokespeople, and advocates for social change.

Bayfield, WI's breakthrough wastewater facility slated for 2006 exceeds state requirements for cutting pollutants and offers a cleaner Lake Superior. A $500,000 grant from The Department of Natural Resources will be given to the local sanitary district, Pikes Bay, and the city for this environmentally-friendly team effort.

State and local officials in Massachusetts are preparing to implement a new initiative to track level 3 sex offenders through ankle bracelets that will be equipped with Global Positioning System satellite technology. Beginning in early 2005, the Office of the Commissioner of Probation will run the program, which will monitor approximately 200 level 3 offenders. The system will be able to track offenders within a 15-foot radius and record all movements, including areas that are prohibited under the terms of probation, such as school zones or victims' homes.

If you are interested in applying for an Innovations in American Government award, please visit the program's online application at  www.innovationsaward.harvard.edu.

Applications for the Innovations in American Government Awards are accepted and reviewed throughout the year.  We are always interested in learning about new programs that are breaking new ground in creative governance.  If your program is one of them, we encourage you to apply now!