Urban Issues

ANNOTATED CONTENTS PREFACE CONTRIBUTORS EDUCATION 1. Dropout Rate Is societal change needed for graduation rates to rise? Are successful local dropout programs viable nationwide? Are the federal government's efforts to raise graduation rates working? Background Early Origins "Waste We Cannot Afford" Seeking Solutions Research and Action Current Situation Washington Gridlock Fewer "Dropout Factories" Concern Over Standards Outlook: Striving for 90 Percent Notes Bibliography 2. Race and Education Was court-ordered school desegregation effective? Have charter schools and school choice laws increased racial separation? Has teacher tenure contributed to racial disparities in education? Background Legal Segregation Brown v. Board of Education Desegregation Integration Declines Current Situation Education Challenges Enforcing Civil Rights State Action Outlook: Changes Coming? Notes Bibliography LAND USE AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT 3. Coastal Development Should state and local governments block coastal development? Can the federal flood insurance program be fixed? Does New York City need floodgates? Background Wealth and Trade Centers Rush to the Shore Coasts Under Pressure In Harm's Way Current Situation Clashing Signals Flood Insurance Fraud? Rising Seas Outlook: Resilient Coastlines Notes Bibliography 4. Air Pollution and Climate Change Is President Obama's Clean Power Plan good policy? Is the EPA's new ozone standard good policy? Can renewable energy become a major contributor to the power industry? Background Early Air Pollution Carbon Dioxide Measured Clean Air Act Acid Rain Regulating Emissions Current Situation Global Negotiations Court Fight Outlook: Obama Agenda Notes Bibliography LAW ENFORCEMENT 5. Police Tactics Do SWAT teams and military tactics and weaponry have a place in policing? Has police use of military-style tactics increased tensions with minority communities? Do body cameras prevent police misconduct? Background Troops in the Streets War on Drugs Drawing Fire New Tensions Current Situation Stemming the Flow Troubled Cities Outlook: Re-engineering Police Culture Notes Bibliography 6. Racial Profiling Are racial- and ethnic-profiling prevalent in U.S. law enforcement today? Do aggressive stop-and-frisk tactics help reduce crime? Should courts take a leading role in combating police racial and ethnic profiling? Background "A Difficult History" An 'Indefensible' Practice 'Deliberate Indifference'? Current Situation Pressure for Change Mixed Results for Prosecutors Outlook: Regaining Trust? Notes Bibliography 7. Fighting Gangs Is the gang threat growing? Is banning street gangs from congregating an effective anti-gang strategy? Can former gang members help quell street violence? Background Immigrant Gangs Postwar Gangs Birth of Modern Gangs Current Situation Gangs on the Internet Policy Progress Outlook: Growing Sophistication Notes Bibliography RACE, CLASS, AND ETHNICITY 8. Racial Conflict Would improving police interactions with African-Americans significantly advance race relations in America? Would new laws and government programs reduce institutional racism? Does government need to recommit to school desegregation? Background Slavery and Jim Crow 'White Affirmative Action' Civil Rights Economic Shifts Current Situation Police on Trial Campus Revolts Outlook: Hope and Fear Notes Bibliography 9. Housing the Homeless Does unemployment cause most homelessness? Is Housing First the best way to keep people from reverting to homelessness? Should homeless families receive bigger or longer-lasting housing subsidies? Background "I Ain't Got No Home" Emptying Asylums The "New Homeless" New Strategies Current Situation Arresting the Problem Alternate Approach Outlook: "A Human Right" Notes Bibliography 10. Wealth and Inequality Does income inequality hamper economic growth? Are parental background and inheritance becoming more important for success? Should the wealthy be taxed more? Background 'Fatal Ailment' Postwar Prosperity The Great Switch Current Situation Proposed Fixes Executive Pay Outlook: 'Oligarchic Evolution' Notes Bibliography 11. Housing Discrimination Are current government policies contributing to residential segregation? Are current real estate and lending practices contributing to residential segregation? Can local officials do more to reduce racial segregation in housing? Background Separate Worlds Slow Changes Unsettled Times Current Situation Stepping Up Efforts Squaring Off in Court Outlook: Political Challenges Notes Bibliography 12. Fighting Urban Poverty Would more federal aid reduce poverty in urban areas? Do federal housing programs alleviate urban poverty? Should the business community play a larger role in solving urban poverty? Background Expanding Slums Depression Era "War on Poverty" Recession Takes Root Current Situation Promise Zones Workplace Issues Presidential Candidates Outlook: Economy Is Key Notes Bibliography