Research and Education
Beyond the immediacy of crime and criminal acts, there is a concern among those involved in the justice system with analyzing and investigating all aspects of criminology and related subjects. The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) as the research, development, and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice is particularly concerned with these issues. On their website, visitors can learn about the NIJ’s mission, research priorities and their strategic goals. Scholars and the general public will appreciate the rather large database that includes the institute’s publications, annual reports, and speeches. Browsing through the publications area is quite easy, and visitors will find such recent reports as “DNA Analysis for ‘Minor’ Crimes: A Major Benefit for Law Enforcement” and “Predicting a Criminal’s Journey to Crime”. Finally, visitors also can access the NIJ Journal’s current issue, as well as browse every issue back to 1995. [KMG]
http://www-news.uchicago.edu/releases/06/060209.altruism.pdf
The General Social Survey at the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) has been administered twenty times since 1972, and a number of rather important and valuable findings have been culled from the data. Most recently, one particular report from the NORC based on this data garnered significant media attention. The 49-page report deals with the nature of altruistic love, and similar behaviors. The survey found wide support for altruistic love on a number of items, and also noted that there was a significant connection between altruistic behavior and romantic love. Additionally, the report noted that religion plays a role in promoting altruism. Some of the other findings of the study included the observations that women have a greater feeling of empathy than men and that financial status had very little to do with feelings of altruism or empathy. [KMG]
In the three or so centuries before the rise of affordable newspapers in the middle-nineteenth century, the broadside was often utilized to send a “message to the masses”. Emblazoned with the occasionally lurid woodblock print, these single sheets of paper brought news of recent events, royal proclamations, and official notices to the general public. Recently, the National Library of Scotland created this fine online collection of broadsides from 1650 to 1910. All told, there are 1800 broadsides in this digital archive. Visitors can search the broadsides by year, keywords, title, or by subject. Of course, searching the collection by subject may be the most enticing option, as some of the headings include apparitions, elegies, pirates, street life, and of course, temperance. The site is made even more compelling by the inclusion of background reading material on the production and distribution of the broadsides. [KMG]
http://www.pbs.org/exploringspace/
The search through the cosmos for intelligent life, or any life for that matter, continues to fascinate everyone from dedicated scientists working for NASA to such personages as Shirley MacLaine. Broad in its scope, and innovative in its use of computer-animated deep-space imagery, this program from PBS explores the various mysteries about the origins of life that may lie in outer space. This site provides a host of online essays and interactive features that are meant as complements to the television program. The sections here include “The Mars Prospect”, “The Search for Aliens”, and “Meteorites & Life”. Within each section, there are a number of quizzes and fun activities, such as one that lets visitors attempt to fly to Mars. The site is rounded out by a number of insightful essays, including those that deal with the themes of the rights of alien life forms and other such speculative topics. [KMG]
Writing Resources [pdf]
http://webware.princeton.edu/sites/writing/Writing_Center/WCWritingResources.htm
Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab [pdf]
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/
Around this time of the year, college students may find themselves staring blankly into a screen as they face any number of daunting writing assignments. Fortunately, there are two fine online resources that may aid them in this process. The first is offered by the Princeton Writing Center, and it contains a number of helpful essays on how to find and develop a paper topic, dealing with writing anxiety, and preparing to perform well on essay exams. The next site is the Online Writing Lab at Purdue University, which has been in existence since 1995. Here, visitors can find a number of excellent writing guides and related material, including The Writing Lab Newsletter, which brings together helpful information about tutoring theory, methodology, and training writing tutors. Of course, visitors should not be surprised to learn that the site also contains a substantial number of documents on grammar, mechanics, literary analysis, and writing in the social sciences. Taken together, these two sites represent a mighty contribution to those seeking to learn how to compose better essays and papers, and also for those working with such individuals. [KMG]
http://www.nationalacademies.org/transportation/
The National Academies have a number of thematic research groups and councils that perform a number of invaluable functions, including research on timely topics and providing informed commentary on a number of policy issues. This particular website is dedicated to offering information from the Transportation Research Board, including research reports and electronic newsletters. The site also contains direct links to recent publications, including “Freight Capacity for the 21st Century” and “Buckling Up: Technologies to Increase Seat Belt Use”. Visitors also have the opportunity to peruse a section that provides information on current or recently completed transportation research projects. For visitors who may be working in the transportation field, there is a calendar of transportation conferences and workshops that may be of substantial interest. [KMG]
