Researchers explore links between hate crimes and terrorism

Posted on June 16, 2016 by O'Neill at IUPUI

By Jeff Gruenewald, Joshua D. Freilich, Steven Chermak and William Parkin

Some are calling the mass shooting at an Orlando gay nightclub an act of terrorism. Others are calling it a hate crime against the LGBT community. President Obama declared it an “act of terror and an act of hate.”

Can it be both?

It’s an important question. How extremist crimes are labeled by officials directly affects how offenders are charged, their likelihood of being convicted and the severity of their sentences.

Labels are also symbolic acknowledgments by the government of the harms inflicted on the nation by terrorists, and on specific social groups by hate crimes. These labels can shape how the public thinks about extremist crimes.

We have been researching terrorism, extremism and hate for more than 15 years and currently direct the United States Extremist Crime Database (ECDB) study. (more…)

SPEA researchers collaborate with community, IU campuses to examine police body-worn camera policies

Posted on June 13, 2016 by Jaclyn Lansbery

In July 2014, Eric Garner’s death at the hands of police officers became the first of several high-profile cases that have resulted in growing public frustration with community policing, leading to riots, protests, and a demand for greater police accountability.

Policy Body Cameras — Photo courtesy of Panasonic System Communications Company of North America.

Later that year, President Barack Obama announced the Body Worn Camera Partnership Program, a three-year, $75-million initiative that could help purchase 50,000 body-worn cameras for U.S. law enforcement agencies. Now in its second year, money from the program funds training, technical assistance, camera hardware, and evaluation tools to study best practices.

Although agencies have been using body-worn cameras long before recent controversies, they now, more than ever, serve as an important evidentiary tool that enables independent review of actual events surrounding police behavior. (more…)

New hires will strengthen diversity initiatives and recruitment of underrepresented minorities

Posted on June 10, 2016 by Michael L. Jackson

The IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs at IUPUI has hired two executives to bolster the recruitment and success of underrepresented minorities and first-generation students.

Marshawn Wolley has joined the staff as Director of Community Engagement and Strategic Initiatives, and Tamra Wright has been tapped as the school’s new Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Wolley is a 2006 SPEA graduate, having earned his Master’s in Public Affairs at the school’s Bloomington campus. He also holds an MBA from the Kelley School of Business. Wolley, who most recently served as the director of partner relations at Visit Indy, previously worked within the administration of Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson and was the director of emerging business and community outreach for the 2012 Indianapolis Super Bowl host committee. (more…)

SPEA graduate follows father’s passion for keeping the public safe

Posted on June 6, 2016 by Jaclyn Lansbery

Following in a father’s footsteps usually means inheriting the family business. But for father Scott Teal and daughter Sydney Teal, it means sharing a passion for keeping the public safe. They both followed their passion to the School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) at IUPUI.

Even in high school, Sydney knew she didn’t want to work the typical 9-to-5 corporate job. She spent her free time volunteering for the Special Olympics and teaching children with disabilities how to play soccer. Sydney wanted to work in a field where she could help people in her community.

Sydney was inspired in part by her father’s career. Scott earned his Master of Public Affairs with a concentration in Criminal Justice from SPEA at IUPUI in 1996. He is a senior special agent and violent crimes coordinator at the Lexington, Kentucky, office of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. While he was studying at SPEA, Scott taught criminal justice classes part-time and interned with the Indianapolis Public Safety Director’s Office. (more…)

SPEA study shows tax on plug-in vehicles is not answer to road-funding woes

Posted on May 26, 2016 by O'Neill at IUPUI

Given declining revenues from gasoline and diesel fuel taxes and the need for new ways of funding road infrastructure, state and federal policymakers are considering or have enacted annual registration fees for plug-in vehicles. In a paper to be published in the August issue of Energy Policy, SPEA researchers say that approach is misguided.

According to the paper, the registration fees already adopted by at least eight states reflect concerns about how the growing number of electric vehicles may affect road infrastructure funding. Electric vehicles do not contribute through fuel taxes to road construction and maintenance.

Those concerns are reflected by a Washington state legislator who is quoted as saying, “electric cars will be driving on the highway right along with all the other cars … we believe they should be paying their fair share.” (more…)