Posts tagged environment
CU Boulder study finds racial ‘hierarchy of bias’ drives decision to shoot armed, unarmed suspects
Oct 24th
Police officers and students exhibit an apparent “hierarchy of bias” in making a split-second decision whether to shoot suspects who appear to be wielding a gun or, alternatively, a benign object like a cell phone, research conducted by the University of Colorado Boulder and San Diego State University has found.
Both the police and student subjects were most likely to shoot at blacks, then Hispanics, then whites and finally, in a case of what might be called a positive bias, Asians, researchers found.
In the first study of its kind, Joshua Correll, Bernadette Park and Charles M. Judd of CU-Boulder’s Department of Psychology and Neuroscience and Melody Sadler of San Diego State University examined how police and a group of undergraduate subjects decide whether to shoot or not to shoot “suspects” in a multi-ethnic environment.
“Most studies on the subject of stereotyping and prejudice look at two (ethnic) groups, usually in isolation. It’s always one group against another group,” said Correll, a CU graduate who joined the faculty in August after a stint at the University of Chicago.
“But as the country becomes more ethnically diverse, it’s more and more important to start thinking about how we process racial and ethnic cues in a multicultural environment,” he said.
As with previous studies into the question, data were gathered from subjects playing a “first person shooter” video game, in which figures of varying ethnicity — Caucasian, Asian, Hispanic and African-American — pop up, either “armed” with a weapon or another benign object, such as a cell phone.
Participants — 69 CU-Boulder undergraduates and 254 police officers — had to make quick decisions as to which figures posed a “threat” and shoot them. The police officers were recruited from two-day training seminars in Florida, New Mexico and Washington and represented numerous jurisdictions from 11 states.
The research demonstrates how persistent cultural stereotypes are, Correll said. Even students who displayed little bias when interviewed demonstrated otherwise when faced with a split-second decision.
“I may not believe it personally, but I am exposed to stereotypes constantly through media or social networks … (such as) the idea that young black men are dangerous,” he said. “Those associations can have an influence on my behavior even if I don’t believe them.”
The study found that police were considerably more accurate than students at correctly identifying a genuinely threatening suspect, as opposed to those brandishing a cell phone or wallet, perhaps a reflection of training. But officers were still influenced by the target’s race — an influence that may derive from the officers’ “contacts, attitudes and stereotypes,” Correll said.
For example, police who endorsed more violent stereotypes about Hispanics and those who overestimated the prevalence of violent crime in their districts demonstrated more bias to shoot Hispanic targets. That raises the question of whether police are responding to real-world threats — and whether that means some ethnic groups really are more likely to be armed and dangerous than others.
“That is a very sensitive question, whether or not (police officers’) reactions are based on some kind of truth. Is this police officers responding to reality on the ground? The short answer is, we don’t know,” Correll said. “But this research almost demands that we ask that question.”
The researchers’ recent findings were published in the Journal of Social Issues. The work was funded by a grant from the Russell Sage Foundation.
In 2007, Correll (then at the University of Chicago), Sadler (then at CU-Boulder), Park and Judd collaborated with the Denver Police Department on a widely cited study that found police officers were less influenced than the general public by racial bias and less likely than the general population to make a decision to shoot at African-American suspects wielding a benign object.
-C
Gov. Hickenlooper to present awards for High-Impact Research
Oct 5th
Annual CO-LABS awards recognize achievements at Colorado’s 24 federal labs and other research facilities
Oct. 4, 2012
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper will present the annual awards for “High-Impact Research” on Oct. 25 to teams from six Colorado-based research centers for breakthroughs in hurricane forecasting, oil-spill air quality assessment, Lyme disease prevention, energy efficiency, detection of aquatic invaders and crop science.
CO-LABS, the nonprofit that informs the public about the breakthroughs and impacts from the 24 federal labs in Colorado, is sponsoring the 2012 Governor’s Award for High-Impact Research, to be held at the Jennie Smoly Caruthers Biotechnology Building, University of Colorado Boulder, beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 25.
Colorado is a global leader in natural resource management, climate science, renewable energy, photonics, materials science, astrophysics, telecommunications and earth science. “Researchers in Colorado laboratories are working together and finding solutions to some of the world’s most challenging problems, which is reflected in the Governor’s awards and the commitment that Colorado has to its federal and state organizations,” Bill Farland, chair of CO-LABS said.
The annual reception is the major CO-LABS event to showcase the research facilities and the work of the CO-LABS organization. Award recipients include:
Deepwater Horizon Atmospheric Science Team, a partnership of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the University of Colorado’s Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences
Honored for their work in atmospheric science will be Thomas Ryerson, Joost de Gouw, and researchers from NOAA and CIRES who joined together to form the Deepwater Horizon Atmospheric Science Team that under urgent circumstances assessed the potential air quality risks posed by the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The team calculated independent estimates of the oil leak rate and analyzed the fate of the leaked oil in the environment. Using NOAA research aircraft, they also were able to advance scientific understanding of the chemistry of the atmosphere in the unique environment.
Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere/Advanced Technology Source, Colorado State University
Scientists from CIRA and ATS, led by Mark DeMaria, will be honored for creating advanced software that allows them to make direct comparisons between satellite observations and model forecasts to give a complete picture of tropical storms and their environments. The forecast tools developed by the Hurricane Forecast Intensity Program help transform cutting-edge observations and theory into better forecasts of hurricane intensity for operational meteorologists, saving lives and property.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins
An award will be presented to Robert D. Gilmore, Toni G. Patton, Kevin S. Brandt, and their colleagues at the CDC’s Division of Vector-Borne Diseases for discovering a gene that, when inactivated, prevents the bacteria that causes Lyme disease from producing an infection following a tick bite. The finding was the first demonstration of a borrelial gene essential to the process of transmitting infection via ticks. Understanding how the organism functions in both ticks and mammals may help in identifying new targets for vaccines and other therapeutics.
United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service
Using a process-level computer model, Laj Ahuja and the team of researchers made several breakthroughs in helping farmers choose summer crops, evaluate performance of new bio-energy or forage dryland crops, manage water better, and explore potential adaptations to climate change, among other applications. The RZWQM2 computer model can extend short-period field research to long-term weather conditions, and different climates and soil; evaluate long-term effects of various management practices on water conservation, crop water use, and production under dryland and irrigated conditions; develop a decision criteria to select a summer crop which gives maximum net return to the farmer; help farmers in different Colorado counties make better decisions about irrigation; and evaluate effects of projected climate change on water demand.
Bureau of Reclamation
Denise M. Hosler and her colleagues at Reclamation’s Invasive Mussel Research Laboratory at the Denver Federal Center will be honored for advances in the early detection of zebra and quagga mussels and evaluation of potential control methods. Early detection at the larva stage provides reservoir managers with evidence that a water body is being exposed to mussels and gives them time to prepare for potential mussel impacts before noticeable problems arise. It also gives managers the opportunity to implement additional public education and boat inspection and cleaning programs that may prevent further exposure and reduce the chances of an infestation.
U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Honors will go to NREL senior scientist Matthew Keyser and his colleagues in the category of Foundational Technology for developing the Large-Volume Battery Calorimeter (LVBC) that can detect heat loss and determine efficiency in the large batteries being used to power electric vehicles. NREL’s LVBC is a crucial tool for automakers and battery companies, the only isothermal calorimeter capable of measuring the thermal efficiency of batteries for today’s and future generations of advanced vehicles. NREL’s calorimeter was recently used to identify the source of a potential 17% gain in battery power, which could ultimately deliver a dramatic improvement in vehicle performance.
CO-LABS advances awareness of Colorado’s federal research laboratories scientific resources and resulting research impacts. Colorado boasts 24 federally funded scientific research laboratories with a high concentration of renowned scientists whose work has global impact in a number of areas including natural resource management, climate change, renewable energy, photonics, and astrophysics. The laboratories work closely with Colorado’s research universities on basic research and development as well as the deployment of technologies. The CO-LABS consortium includes Colorado federal research laboratories, research universities, state and local governments, economic development organizations, private businesses and nonprofit organizations. It conducts economic analysis, encourages technology collaboration
County releases draft Land Use Code regulations for oil and gas development
Sep 17th
Planning Commission to review regulations on Sept. 24
Boulder County, Colo. – Boulder County has drafted a set of proposed Land Use Code regulations for oil and gas development in unincorporated Boulder County and is actively seeking review and comment from the public, industry and state agencies.
The draft regulations are available for review on the county’s Oil and Gas Development webpage.
What: Public hearing on the Draft Development Plan Review regulations addressing oil and gas development within the county’s Land Use Code
When: Monday, Sept. 24, 4 p.m.
Where: Boulder County Courthouse, third floor, 1325 Pearl St., Boulder
Land Use staff will present the proposed regulations to the Planning Commission, which will then consider public comments and provide recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners or provide further direction to staff.
Public testimony will be taken at the hearing (each speaker is allowed 3 minutes). Written comments are also encouraged and can be emailed tocommissioners@bouldercounty.org or submitted to staff in hard copy at the hearing.
The goal of the draft regulations is to work within the authority provided to counties and enact the most protective land use regulations possible for new oil and gas development. Boulder County recognizes the extent of state authority over these operations and seeks to create local regulations that harmonize with state regulations.
Topics addressed in the regulations include avoidance and mitigation of impacts to the county’s air and water quality, transportation system and environmental resources. The regulations also address land use compatibility issues and emergency response.
“These draft regulations are an important part of our multifaceted approach to addressing the issues associated with oil and gas development in unincorporated Boulder County,” Commissioner Cindy Domenico said. “We are seeking feedback so that we can enact effective regulations that protect our environment and the health and safety of our residents, and harmonize with state and federal regulations.”
Timeline
• Feb. 2 – The Board of County Commissioners approve a temporary moratorium on the processing of the required development plans for local oil and gas permits under the county Land Use Code (Resolution 2012-16) and release a statement detailing their concerns about the potential for significantly expanded oil and gas drilling within the county.
• March 1 – Public hearing for commissioners to hear staff presentations and public testimony. After the four-hour hearing, commissioners direct staff to continue gathering information about the impacts of oil and gas drilling on air, water, land, roads and infrastructure.
• April 16 – Commissioners vote unanimously to extend temporary moratorium on processing of applications for oil and gas development in unincorporated parts of the county until Feb. 4, 2013 (Resolution 2012-46).
• May 16 – Planning Commission authorizes the initiation of an amendment process to the oil and gas policies in the Boulder County Comprehensive Plan
• June 20 – Planning Commission reviews proposed oil and gas policies amendments presented by Land Use staff, and takes public testimony.
• July 18 – Planning Commission further reviews proposed oil and gas policies amendments presented by Land Use staff, and takes public testimony.
• Aug. 15 – Planning Commission adopts amendments to Comprehensive Plan.
• Aug. 22 – County Commissioners and Planning Commission hold a joint study session to discuss possible future Land Use Code amendments.
The county anticipates adopting a set of regulations by the end of the year. For more information about the county’s role in oil and gas development, upcoming meetings and public involvement opportunities, visit the county’s Oil and Gas Development webpage or contact Jim Webster at 720-564-2600 orjbwebster@bouldercounty.org.
