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Can optical illusions trick drivers into slowing down?

Matt Rocheleau

November 09, 2017 |

The Boston Globe |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Boston, Massachusetts

Lead-footed drivers are a problem everywhere, and cities around the world have struggled with ways to get vehicles to slow down, especially in dense areas where the risks to pedestrians are acute. One clever solution is popping up on numerous roads around the world: 3D decals on the pavement that look like floating blocks, speed bumps, or small children. The decals create an optical illusion that is proving to help slow down speedy drivers, and for a fraction of the cost of speed bumps or traffic cops.

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What Philly-area CEOs think about hiring ex-inmates

Jane M. Von Bergen

November 02, 2017 |

The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia Media Network) |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Connecting people coming out of incarceration with employment is crucial to helping them integrate back into society and not return to prison, but employers are often skittish about hiring people with records. Some argue the nature of their work is too sensitive to risk it, especially if employees work with sensitive data or law enforcement agencies. But employers in the Philadelphia metro region who have gone down this path often find it's worth it because the workers tend to be more loyal and stay longer in jobs, making for less turnover.

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Creating a 'Traffic Jam' Against Sex Trafficking: This Groundbreaking Tech is a Game-Changer

Caitlin Burke

October 28, 2017 |

Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN News) |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States

A software helps investigators link crimes in different parts of the country to find patterns that indicate human trafficking. Traffic Jam uses artificial intelligence to comb through reams of public records and data, and even uses facial recognition tools, to find links to larger criminal networks in cases that could have seemed like local prostitution arrests. So far it has helped officials rescue hundreds of victims of human trafficking and could be applied to other crimes as well.

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Where the Dogs Lead

Katarzyna Nowak

October 24, 2017 |

bioGraphic |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Tanzania

Dogs have been known to be used for hunting for many years and often still are today, but not in Tanzania where dogs are now being used to stop hunting. If an effort to combat poaching and other unlawful acts, tracker dog units are quickly becoming an essential and widespread tool in Africa’s conservation efforts.

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‘We can't just keep doing what we've been doing': King County tries risky alternative to youth jail

Claudia Rowe

October 23, 2017 |

The Seattle Times |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Seattle, Washington

As Seattle’s Central District continues plans to expand their juvenile detention center, one prosecutor is looking for ways to keep kids out of it. "Our system has proven woefully inadequate, so we can’t just keep doing what we’ve been doing," explains Jimmy Hung, the prosecutor behind this hope. Hung, in partnership with the chief deputy prosecutor, faith workers, police officers and the director of King County’s juvenile detention center are now piloting peace circles with incoming detained juveniles with a goal of seeing a behavior and lifestyle switch.

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The One Simple Way to Help Poor Kids Stay in School

Debra Bruno

October 19, 2017 |

Politico |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

A study of high school students in Chicago has has found that personalized tutoring can help low-income students advance academically, challenging conventional wisdom that once a student falls behind, it's almost impossible to bring them back to speed. Many advocate for a "scaling-up" of tutoring programs, as the personalized attention and relationship with the tutor has been proven valuable.

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Where in the West young people are moving

Leah Todd Lin

October 16, 2017 |

High Country News |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Pagosa Springs, Colorado

Rural counties across the West are grappling with how to entice more young people to remain local, but a few counties demonstrate what it takes to succeed. By focusing on niche tourism industries, education, and housing, counties in Washington, Idaho, Colorado, and Utah are paving the way to bring families and young people back to the West.

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Israel's radical new approach to psychological first aid

Abigail Klein Leichman

October 08, 2017 |

Israel21c |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Israel

In Israel, approaches to help traumatized IDF soldiers were emotionally focused and did not succeed in restoring well-being. The Six C’s model presents a cognitive approach by Dr. Farchi, which involves stimulating the individual through mental and physical action—such as giving them tasks to complete or make complex decisions.

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Dentists take bite out of opioid epidemic

Zane Sparling

October 03, 2017 |

The Gresham Outlook |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Portland, Oregon

Dentists in Multnomah County, Oregon are helping to prevent "doctor shopping", where addicts attempt to get prescriptions from multiple providers. They are doing this by checking a national database that lists all of a patient's current prescriptions, and not prescribing refills on opiate prescriptions without a follow-up visit. This effort has drastically reduced the number of overall prescriptions written, and replaced those drugs with ibuprofen and tylenol, which are both proven to be more effective in relieving acute pain.

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Here's What Actually Reduces Gun Violence

Peter Aldhous

October 02, 2017 |

Buzzfeed |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

Among policy proposals to reduce gun violence the most effective are background checks and the use of focused deterrence by law enforcement. The latter is where police meet with community leaders and members of criminal groups to warn of harsh penalties for gun use, while also connecting people with resources to help them move beyond criminal activity. Laws that temporarily remove guns from those who may be suicidal or homicidal also show promise, but there isn't much data on them yet.

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