CRS – Prosecutorial Discretion in Immigration Enforcement: Legal Issues. Kate M. Manuel, Legislative Attorney. Todd Garvey, Legislative Attorney. December 27, 2013 “The term prosecutorial discretion is commonly used to describe the wide latitude that prosecutors have in determining when, whom, how, and even whether to prosecute apparent violations of the law. The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and, later, the… Continue Reading
Accurate, Focused Research on Law, Technology and Knowledge Discovery Since 2002
Author Archives: Sabrina I. Pacifici
POGO – DOJ Sues Firm That Screened Edward Snowden and Navy Yard Shooter
Neil Gordon via POGO: “On Wednesday [January 23, 2014], the Justice Department filed its long-awaited complaint in a False Claims Act lawsuit against background check contractor U.S. Investigations Services (USIS). In October last year, Justice announced it had intervened in the lawsuit, which was filed in 2011 by former USIS employee Blake Percival. Percival’s complaint is posted here. The government claims… Continue Reading
The Equality of Opportunity Project – The status of economic mobility
The Equality of Opportunity Project: “Is America the “Land of Opportunity”? In two recent studies, we find that: (1) Upward income mobility varies substantially within the U.S. [summary][paper] Areas with greater mobility tend to have five characteristics: less segregation, less income inequality, better schools, greater social capital, and more stable families. (2) Contrary to popular perception, economic mobility has… Continue Reading
Federal Reserve Board guidance on expectations for recovery and resolution preparedness of certain large domestic bank holding companies
“The Federal Reserve Board on [January 24, 2014] provided additional information on its expectations for the recovery and resolution preparedness of certain large domestic bank holding companies. Recovery and resolution preparedness aims to reduce the effect of a firm’s failure or material weakness on the financial system and the broader economy. The supervisory guidance, SR letter… Continue Reading
New GAO Report – Recovery Act
RECOVERY ACT: Grant Implementation Experiences Offer Lessons for Accountability and Transparency, GAO-14-219, Jan 24, 2014 “In response to the recent serious recession, Congress enacted the Recovery Act to promote economic recovery, make investments, and minimize or avoid reductions in state and local government services. Approximately $219 billion was distributed as grants for use in states and localities,… Continue Reading
Microsoft releases global survey on Internet users around the world
“A new global survey of Internet users conducted by Microsoft Corp. reveals distinct regional findings and differing viewpoints between the developed and developing world. However, overwhelmingly the more than 10,000 people surveyed from 10 nations said they embrace personal technology, particularly in emerging markets, and see it as the foundation of innovation and economic empowerment.… Continue Reading
Paper – Inequality, the Great Recession, and Slow Recovery
Inequality, the Great Recession, and Slow Recovery. Barry Z. Cynamon and Steven M. Fazzari. November 20, 2013 “Rising inequality reduced income growth for the bottom 95% of the income distribution beginning around 1980, but that group’s consumption growth did not fall proportionally. Instead, lower saving put the bottom 95% on an unsustainable financial path that eventually triggered… Continue Reading
Monetary Policy with Abundant Liquidity: A New Operating Framework for the Fed
Monetary Policy with Abundant Liquidity: A New Operating Framework for the Fed by Joseph E. Gagnon, Peterson Institute for International Economics and Brian Sack, D. E. Shaw Group “The amount of assets held by the Federal Reserve has dramatically increased since 2009. It recently crossed $4 trillion and will likely peak at about $4.5 trillion. This increase… Continue Reading
Download Over 250 Free Art Books From the Getty Museum
“Yesterday, we wrote about the Wellcome Library’s opening up of its digital archives and making over 100,000 medical images freely available online. If you’ve already made your way through this choice selection (or if the prospect of viewing a 19th century leg amputation doesn’t quite pique your curiosity) have no fear. Getty Publications just announced the launch of its Virtual Library, where readers… Continue Reading
LA Times – The toll of the anti-vaccination movement, in one devastating graphic
By Michael Hiltzik – January 20, 2014: “Aaron Carroll today offers a graphic depiction of the toll of the anti-vaccination movement. (H/t: Kevin Drum.) It comes from a Council on Foreign Relations interactive map of “vaccine-preventable outbreaks” worldwide 2008-2014. A couple of manifestations stand out. One is the prevalence of measles in Europe — especially Britain — and the U.S. Measles is endemic in the… Continue Reading
Surgeon General report says 5.6 million U.S. children will die prematurely unless current smoking rates drop
HHS news release: “Approximately 5.6 million American children alive today – or one out of every 13 children under age 18 – will die prematurely from smoking-related diseases unless current smoking rates drop, according to a new Surgeon General’s report. Over the last 50 years, more than 20 million Americans have died from smoking. The new… Continue Reading
NIH research network finds many youth have high levels of HIV
“More than 30 percent of young males who had sex with other males and who were subsequently enrolled in a government treatment and research network were found to have high levels of HIV, reported researchers from the National Institutes of Health and other institutions. The health status of the study participants, who ranged in age from… Continue Reading
