Artwork stating 'Education Destroys Barriers', 'We Demand Treatment', and 'I Need A Chance'

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  • Ecuador legalized gangs. Murder rates plummeted.

    When faced with a rise in gang violence, Ecuador tried an approach that was in complete opposition to "zero tolerance," the methodology America has been attempting to use to tackle the problem. Rather than target gang members as wrongdoers, the country "allowed the gangs to remake themselves as cultural associations that could register with the government, which in turn allowed them to qualify for grants and benefit from social programming."

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  • The case for hiring more police officers

    Much of the backlash against the police is based on assumptions that more police means more incarceration and more police violence, but evidence actually points to the opposite outcomes. When more police are put on the streets, and when they’re doing the right preventive tasks, that can deter crime from happening in the first place; hence, fewer arrests and less incarceration. Plus, inadequate staffing levels can lead to tired, stressed officers committing wrongdoing. Of course, if more police do more of the wrong tactics, then that can cause a deeper breach of community trust, which means more crime.

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  • I looked for a state that's taking gun violence seriously. I found Massachusetts.

    Massachusetts' strict gun-licensing laws make gun buyers jump through many hoops before they can buy and possess a firearm, part of a broader set of policies and factors that give the state the lowest gun death rate in the U.S. A permit-to-purchase law treats guns much like cars, with license and registration required. Police can deny gun permits even when applicants pass all background checks and meet other requirements. All guns, even those sold in private transactions, must be registered with the state and are subject to confiscation under the state's red-flag law for disarming dangerous people.

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  • Seattle's radical plan to fight big money in politics

    Seattle tripled the number of people who contributed to local political campaigns by giving each resident $100 in “democracy vouchers” to contribute to the candidate of their choice. The concept was to counter the effect of big money in politics. Although the program was a widely popular idea, it ended up being expensive to run and only 3.3 percent of residents who received the vouchers actually used them.

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  • Sit in a circle. Talk to other pregnant women. Save your baby's life?

    In South Carolina, doctors are scaling programs based off of CenteringPregnancy, an initiative that uses group doctor appoints to better infant health and decrease infant mortality. Research shows that providing prenatal care in a group setting helps to build a sense of community and reduce stress among women who might not have stability during their pregnancy otherwise.

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  • How to make prisons more humane

    A North Dakota prison looks to Norway's prison model that focuses on prisoner rehabilitation rather than punishment. By giving offenders responsibility, private space, and access to the outside world, these prisons have found lower rates of recidivism and more success with rehabilitation.

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  • Solving America's painkiller paradox

    In a recent study, doctors who were told one of their patients had died prescribed 10% fewer opiates than doctors in a control group. The letters came with recommendations from the CDC for not overprescribing painkillers.

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  • No helmets, no problem: how the Dutch created a casual biking culture

    Most people in Holland ride a bicycle every week thanks to a widespread public commitment to a biking culture and infrastructure where everyone feels welcome. That includes very visible dedicated bike paths designed for the most sedate cyclist, courses teaching children safe cycling skills, and connections to combine biking and transit. Most Dutch don't need helmets because rather than making bicyclists dress to confront danger, the country has made the environs safer for cyclists.

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  • America's doctors can beat the opioid epidemic. Here's how to get them on board.

    Primary care providers often decline to learn how to treat opioid addiction because it takes too much time and specialization—it's a complex disease. But ECHO, a New Mexico initiative that links primary care providers with a community of specialists and colleagues, empowers doctors with access to knowledge that allows them to treat tough patients. ECHO began as a resource for Hepatitis C and was so effective, they expanded it for opioid addiction, For some doctors, it breaks down the barrier to getting a waiver to prescribe buprenorphine, am opioid treatment.

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  • How Silicon Valley is responding to the immigration crisis

    A fundraiser called “Reunite an immigrant parent with their child” raised $19 million in one week for the Texas nonprofit RAICES. Creators Charlotte and Dave Willner say almost half a million people have donated via Facebook so far. They cite matching gifts and the fundraiser’s narrow focus and wide appeal as key factors in its success.

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