Police Use of Nonfatal Force, 2002–11

"From 2002 to 2011, an annual average of 44 million persons age 16 or older had one or more face-toface contacts with police. Of those who had contact, 1.6% experienced the threat or use of nonfatal force by the police during their most recent contact.1 About 75% of those with force (1.2% of persons with police contact) perceived the force as excessive. A greater percentage of non-Hispanic blacks (2.8%) than non-Hispanic whites (1.0%) and Hispanics (1.4%) experienced excessive nonfatal force by police during their contact (figure 1). 
This report examines the prevalence, circumstance, and characteristics of incidents in which police threatened or used nonfatal force and whether these factors varied across resident race and Hispanic origin..."
Police and nonfatal force

Drug Offenders in Federal Prison: Estimates of Characteristics Based on Linked Data

"Publicly available BOP datasets do not include information about prisoners’ criminal history, offense details, and sentencing decisions, making it difficult to assess the criminal background of the offenders and the nature of their offenses. This report uses a new dataset that links the BOP population at fiscal yearend 2012 (i.e., stock population), with sentencing information from the U.S. Sentencing Commission (USSC) to describe the federal prison population in greater detail. The dataset includes the 94,678 sentenced offenders in federal prison whose most serious offense was drug-related, who were serving time on a new U.S. district court commitment, and who had valid links to USSC data. Of these, almost all were drug trafficking offenders, while the remainder were sentenced for other drug offenses, primarily possession..."
Drug offenders

World Remembrance Day for Road Traffic Victims

"This Sunday, November 15, is World Remembrance Day for Road Traffic Victims[external link], a day honoring the millions who have been killed in crashes on the world’s roads.

This year happens to be the 20th anniversary of this commemoration and the 10th anniversary of its adoption by the United Nations General Assembly[external link]. Here at the United States Department of Transportation, we think this 20/10 milestone in raising awareness of the need for greater road safety warrants something more from us than a Tweet or Facebook post..."
Road traffic victims

U.S. Strategic Nuclear Forces: Background, Developments, and Issues

"Even though the United States plans to reduce the number of warheads deployed on its longrange missiles and bombers, consistent with the terms of the New START Treaty, it also plans to develop new delivery systems for deployment over the next 20-30 years. The 114th Congress will continue to review these programs, and the funding requested for them, during the annual authorization and appropriations process.

During the Cold War, the U.S. nuclear arsenal contained many types of delivery vehicles for nuclear weapons. The longer-range systems, which included long-range missiles based on U.S. territory, long-range missiles based on submarines, and heavy bombers that could threaten Soviet targets from their bases in the United States, are known as strategic nuclear delivery vehicles. At the end of the Cold War, in 1991, the United States deployed more than 10,000 warheads on these delivery vehicles. That number has declined to less than 1,600 warheads today, and is slated to decline to 1,550 warheads by 2018, after the New START Treaty completes implementation...:
Strategic nuclear forces

Dangers of Hookah Smoking

"Similar to cigarettes, hookah smoking delivers the addictive drug nicotine and it is at least as toxic as cigarette smoking. While many hookah smokers may consider this practice less harmful than smoking cigarettes, hookah smoking carries many of the same health risks as cigarettes.

Hookahs are water pipes that are used to smoke specially made tobacco that is usually flavored. They are also called a number of different names, including waterpipe, narghile, argileh, shisha, hubble-bubble, and goza. Hookah smoking is typically practiced in groups, with the same mouthpiece passed from person to person.."
Hookah smoking

How the U.S. Census Defines Race

"What does America look like? To find out, historians often turn to data from the U.S. Census, which has collected information on population and race since 1790. But the census doesn't just study race in America—the terminology used in census forms can also define it. A new interactive graphic released by the Census Bureau shows how racial categorizations have changed over time.

There's not much continuity to the labels for people of color, write Laris Karklis and Emily Badger forThe Washington Post. Their piece, which offers a few alternative graphics using census race categories, shows just how often the government defines and redefines racial identities. As the Census Bureau prepares for the 2020 count, here are a few key details from the past 225 years:

Freedom and Slavery 

From the beginning, the census reflected early American realities of slavery. The very first census, which was conducted in 1790, was ordered to distinguish "free persons, including those bound to service for a term of years, from all others; distinguishing also the sexes and colours of free persons, and the free males of sixteen years and upwards from those under that age." As a result, census takers counted free whites, "all other free persons," and slaves. No distinction was made between differing ethnicities, but "slave" almost always meant enslaved Africans..."
Race and Census

November is National Epilepsy Awareness Month

"A seizure is a short change in normal brain activity that can cause changes in awareness, behavior, or body movement. Because anyone can have a seizure, it’s important to recognize seizure symptoms and to know how to help. There are over 30 different types of seizures.¹ The signs of seizures depend on the part of the brain affected. Some seizures are mild and can go unnoticed. Others can cause the person to fall to the ground, or be unable to move or speak.

Epilepsy is not the only cause of a seizure. Seizures can happen from other problems, including:

• Brain injury.
• High fever.
• Alcohol or drug withdrawal..."
  Epilepsy awareness

Modes Less Traveled—Bicycling and Walking to Work in the United States: 2008–2012

"Bicycling and walking make up a relatively small portion of commuting activity in the United States, but these nonmotorized travel modes play important roles within many of the nation’s local transportation systems. Infrastructure that supports bicycling and walking expands transportation options and may complement other forms of transportation by supplementing segments of trips. Several state and local agencies have taken steps to promote pedestrian and bicycle travel. Strategies to accommodate nonmotorized travel vary across communities, but may include sidewalk modifications, pedestrian-oriented commercial centers, or bicycle lanes to name a few. In recent years, the number of cities with bicycle sharing programs has increased considerably.1 These efforts reflect ongoing changes in infrastructure and travel options across the nation’s dynamic transportation systems. Such changes influence decisions people make about their trip to work. The American Community Survey (ACS) is an important tool for tracking how the nation’s travel patterns change across.."
Travel to work

Calling on Communities - We Challenge You to Get Covere

"Today, the White House is launching the "Healthy Communities Challenge", calling on community leaders to reach out to the uninsured in their states to help them get covered under the Affordable Care Act.

As the Affordable Care Act has taken effect, 17.6 million Americans have gained coverage, and, since 2010, we’ve reduced the uninsured rate in this country by 45 percent.  The nation’s uninsured rate is now at its lowest level ever. 

But in communities across the country, 10.5 million eligible people remain uninsured.

That's why the White House is reaching out to local officials in 20 key communities with high percentages of uninsured Americans in states around the country. Community collaboration with local, state and federal officials can have a meaningful impact in helping these people get the health coverage they need..."
Health insurance

FTC and Federal, State and Local Law Enforcement Partners Announce Nationwide Crackdown Against Abusive Debt Collectors

"The Federal Trade Commission and other law enforcement authorities around the country announced the first coordinated federal-state enforcement initiative targeting deceptive and abusive debt collection practices. This nationwide crackdown encompasses 30 new law enforcement actions by federal, state, and local law enforcement authorities against collectors who use illegal tactics such as harassing phone calls and false threats of litigation, arrest, and wage garnishment. The cases announced today bring to 115 the total number of actions taken so far this year by the more than 70 law enforcement partners in the Operation Collection Protection initiative..."
Debt colletions

It’s open season on ticks!

"Protect yourself, your family, and your pets from tick bites this hunting season. Hunting brings you in close contact with ticks and their habitats, so take the proper precautions to reduce your chances of being bitten. If you develop a fever or a rash following tick exposures, see your doctor immediately. Most tickborne diseases can be effectively treated if caught early.

Ticks can spread serious and potentially fatal diseases like tularemia, ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Lyme disease. While most tickborne infections occur during the summer, ticks may still be active well into the fall, or even year-round in warmer climates. Ticks live in grassy, brushy, or wooded areas, and on animals themselves, so hunting will bring you in close contact with ticks. Take the proper precautions this hunting season to keep you and your pets healthy..."
Ticks

Is Violent Crime in the United States Increasing?

"On August 31, 2015, the New York Times ran an article with the headline “Murder Rates Rising Sharply in Many U.S. Cities.” The story highlighted double-digit percentage increases in homicide rates in several cities, and came on the heels of reports from other media outlets of recent spikes in violent crime in cities across the country. Accounts of rising violent crime rates in some cities have generated speculation about whether the United States is in the midst of a new crime wave.

Overall, homicide and violent crime rates have been trending downward for more than two decades, and both rates are at historic lows. An analysis comparing 2014 and 2015 homicide data from the nation’s 60 most populous cities suggests that violent crime is not increasing. Overall, reported homicides were up 16% in 2015, but a majority of cities (44 of 60) have not seen a statistically significant increase in homicides. The general consensus is that it is too early to draw any conclusions about the reversal of long-term trends. Also, even if homicide and violent crime rates do increase this year, it may not portend a break in the long-term trend. Even though both rates have been on a downward trend since 1990, there were years where either the homicide rate or violent crime rate increased..."
Violent crime

Impeachment and Removal

"The impeachment process provides a mechanism for removal of the President, Vice President, and other “civil Officers of the United States” found to have engaged in “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.” The Constitution places the responsibility and authority to determine whether to impeach an individual in the hands of the House of Representatives. Should a simple majority of the House approve articles of impeachment specifying the grounds upon which the impeachment is based, the matter is then presented to the Senate, to which the Constitution provides the sole power to try an impeachment. A conviction on any one of the articles of impeachment requires the support of a two-thirds majority of the Senators present..."
Impeachment

The Federal Advisory Committee Act: Analysis of Operations and Costs

"Federal advisory committees are established to allow experts from outside the federal government to provide advice and recommendations to executive branch agencies or the President. Federal advisory committees can be created either by Congress, the President, or an executive branch agency.

The Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) requires agencies to report on the structure, operations, and costs of qualifying federal advisory committees. The General Services Administration (GSA) is authorized to collect, retain, and verify the reported information, and does so using an online tool called the FACA Database.

This report provides an overview of the data that populates the FACA Database, which details the costs and operations of all active federal advisory committees. This report examines the data from FY2004-FY2014, with additional in-depth analysis of FY2014..."
Federal Advisory Committees

Modernizing Federal Cybersecurity

"Strengthening the cybersecurity of Federal networks, systems, and data is one of the most important challenges we face as a Nation. Every day, public and private sector leaders - my team included - are directing significant resources to address this ever-growing problem. Yet as cyber threats increase in severity, so does the pace of this Administration’s efforts. Since 2009, the U.S. Government has implemented a wide range of policies, both domestic and international, to improve our cyber defenses, enhance our response capabilities, and upgrade our incident management tools by:

• Directing a comprehensive Cyberspace Policy Review in order to assess U.S. policies and structures for cybersecurity;
• Making cybersecurity one of the Administration’s first cross-agency priority management goals;
• Spurring information sharing through the President’s executive order to encourage the development of Information Sharing and Analysis Organizations (ISAOs) to serve as the hubs for sharing critical cybersecurity information and promoting collaboration for analyzing this information both within and across industry sectors;
• Leveraging cutting edge tools like the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) EINSTEIN and Continuous Diagnostics & Mitigation (CDM) program; and,
• Proposing targeted investments across a range of Federal departments and agencies that improve cybersecurity and protect government networks from cyber-threats..."
  Federal cybersecurity