2022 - 2023
May 10, 2023
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PRS Briefs
In a world increasingly impacted by warming temperatures and climate change, utility companies have been working to develop new forms of renewable energy that do not emit greenhouse gases. In heavily forested areas, such as New Hampshire, wood may be a viable alternative to fossil fuels for...
April 20, 2023
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PRS Briefs
With the enactment of Senate Bill (SB) 418, voters in the state of New Hampshire who do not have proof of residency, citizenship, identity, and age eligibility at the polls to same-day register to vote will need to send a copy of their identification within seven days of the election for...
April 14, 2023
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PRS Briefs
The goal of this report is to evaluate the effectiveness of criminal mediation processes in the New Hampshire judicial system.1 Criminal mediation is a form of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), an alternative to the traditional trial process. Although ADR is not yet broadly employed across the...
April 10, 2023
PRS Briefs
This study seeks to answer the question, "How can we optimize the delivery of telehealth to improve the health of people experiencing homelessness (PEH) in the Upper Valley?" The question is presented by the Upper Valley Haven's (UVH) Executive Director Michael Redmond as part of the organization's...
April 3, 2023
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PRS Briefs
As electric vehicles (EVs) become more common, and public EV infrastructure more extensive, the State of Vermont will likely need to address three issues: reduced gas tax revenue, public EV charger siting, and expired EV battery processing. EVs do not consume gasoline, so the adoption of EVs will...
March 29, 2023
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PRS Briefs
Vermont law has, in addition to those outlined in federal law, a number of exemptions to both its standard minimum wage and overtime pay requirements. As the House Committee on General, Housing, and Military affairs is reconsidering the current exemptions on the books, this report explores the...
February 28, 2023
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PRS Briefs
Between the 1930s and 1977, chemical companies such as Monsanto manufactured electrical equipment and building materials, including caulk and light ballasts, with human-made chemicals known as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Although PCBs were banned in 1979, a lack of removal efforts means they...
February 28, 2023
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PRS Briefs
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government funded Universal School Meals (USMs) nationwide. After seeing robust benefits for students and teachers, Vermont policymakers decided to continue this program at the state level for the 2022-23 school year. However, sustaining USMs comes at a...
The Elusive Rainbow: Racial Reconciliation in South Africa with Lessons for the United States
December 19, 2022
Course Projects
South Africa is a country of contradictions. Wealthy businessmen of all races often live feet from abject poverty. Multinational businesses happily open up shop alongside a liberation party that governs haphazardly. Many who committed horrific crimes under apartheid walk freely among...
2022-2023
November 1, 2022
Annual Reports
2021 - 2022
September 12, 2022
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PRS Briefs
A Medicaid coverage cliff is a situation in which beneficiaries have incomes that exceed the limit for Medicaid supplemental coverage but still do not earn enough to afford private insurance. This report identifies the scope of Medicaid cliffs in Vermont and gives the Vermont House Committee on...
September 1, 2022
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PRS Briefs
The HUB, a project of the Woodstock Community Trust, facilitates in the coordination of resources and funding among local organizations to support Woodstock-area residents during times of personal and community-level crisis. This report identifies the current and future needs of Woodstock...
August 1, 2022
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PRS Briefs
Between 2013 and 2015, an average of 5.3 percent of all Vermont K-12 students were suspended or expelled from school.1 These adolescent mistakes that resulted in suspension or expulsion have the potential to hamper Vermont students' post-secondary pursuits if they are recorded and released to...
June 9, 2022
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PRS Briefs
Lake Sunapee is the fifth largest lake located entirely in New Hampshire. It provides significant value to the state economy in the form of property, property taxes, business revenue, and water supply. The lake draws visitors and both full-time and part-time residents to the area. This valuation...
June 9, 2022
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PRS Briefs
Vermont faces numerous challenges from climate change, which have already begun to negatively impact the state's ecosystem, economy, and public health, especially affecting rural and low-income residents. While the state's greenhouse gas emissions make up only a small fraction of total United...
June 6, 2022
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PRS Briefs
This report analyzes the opportunity for Vermont to implement new improvements to their Unemployment Insurance (UI) System. This report draws on and synthesizes the key findings of the December 2021 Report of the Unemployment Insurance Study Committee, the Memorandum on the Feasibility of Changing...
June 1, 2022
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PRS Briefs
The closure of labor and delivery units across New Hampshire poses numerous problems for the state's mothers and newborns, leaving large numbers of rural residents without easy access to maternity care services. These closures are the product of a variety of factors including a shrinking patient...
June 1, 2022
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PRS Briefs
Mental health and substance abuse in the United States is a pressing crisis of mental health. The crisis has only been exacerbated by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the demand for mental health and substance abuse support resources has never been higher. Unfortunately, a...
April 5, 2022
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PRS Briefs
In the legal system, incompetent individuals are deemed mentally unfit to testify or stand trial by the court. Competency restoration is the mental health treatment provided to legally incompetent defendants so that they can fully participate in judicial proceedings. The current U.S. competency...
March 19, 2022
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PRS Briefs
Eleven million Americans currently have suspended driver's licenses as a result of not paying fees/ fines or missing a hearing date.1 Under current New Hampshire law, a driver's license can be revoked for a number of offenses unrelated to operating a motor vehicle. These categories are (1)...
March 14, 2022
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PRS Briefs
Roughly twenty percent of high school students in New Hampshire attend Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs spread across 32 CTE centers in the state and in Vermont. CTE prepares youth and adults for a wide range of careers. At the secondary level, CTE provides students with the...
March 7, 2022
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PRS Briefs
Cervids constitute a centrally important aspect of wildlife importation policy. In the past fifty years, the cervid-borne Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has been identified in twenty-nine U.S. states, threatening wild and domestic game while complicating wildlife management and deer importation...
February 11, 2022
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PRS Briefs
This report provides background, context, and insights into the current impacts of parental incarceration of children in Vermont. In addition, it analyzes the expedient factors in H.399, a bill that proposes "to require the sentencing court to consider the criminal defendant's status as the primary...
December 2, 2021
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PRS Briefs
This policy brief explores the issue of and potential solutions for workforce housing in Hanover, New Hampshire. The Upper Valley region is predicted to be in need of an additional 10,000 housing units by 2030, simply to meet ongoing demand for affordable housing. The lack of affordable...
October 15, 2021
Course Projects
Anya Sorensen '22 interned at the Partnership for Global Security.
October 15, 2021
Course Projects
Benjamin Wilkins '24 interned at the Orleans Parish District Attorney's office.
October 15, 2021
Course Projects
Stavan Shah '24 interned at the office of Congressman Seth Moulton.
October 15, 2021
Course Projects
Ben Vagle '22 interned at The American Enterprise Institute.
October 15, 2021
Course Projects
Kathryn Putz '22 interned at the U.S. Department of State.
October 15, 2021
Course Projects
Daniel Lin '23 interned for The COVID Tracking Project.
October 15, 2021
Course Projects
Soleil Gaylord '22 interned at the Humane Society of the United States.
October 15, 2021
Course Projects
John Cho '22 interned at the Department of Justice.
October 15, 2021
Course Projects
Sydney Towle '22 interned at the New Hampshire Supreme Court.
October 15, 2021
Course Projects
Adelia Rattray '23 interned at the International Crisis Group.
French Internship Profile - Isabela Velasco Cruz
October 15, 2021
Course Projects
October 15, 2021
Course Projects
Mia Seymour '23 interned at the Brookings Institution.
October 15, 2021
Course Projects
Vanessa Haggans '23 interned at the New Hampshire Adult Parole Board.
October 15, 2021
Course Projects
Gayeong Song '22 interned at the American Enterprise Institute.
October 15, 2021
Course Projects
Selina Noor '22 interned at the JAAGO Foundation.
October 15, 2021
Course Projects
Solenne Wolfe '24 interned at the NYC Mayor's Office of Operations.
October 15, 2021
Course Projects
Melody Fu '23 interned at the New York City Council.
October 15, 2021
Course Projects
Sophia Swanson '23 interned at Human Rights First.
October 5, 2021
Course Projects
Alison Dickstein '22 interned at the National Institute of Health's Office of Autism Research Coordination (NIH/OARC)
October 5, 2021
Course Projects
Isabella Dunbar '22 interned at The Brookings Institution.
October 5, 2021
Course Projects
Sam O'Brien '22 interned at The 1000 Days Fund.
A Survey Experiment on Voter Preferences in Nairobi, Kenya
January 3, 2022
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Faculty Scholarship
Ethnic pandering, in which candidates promise to cater to the interests of coethnic voters, is presumed to be an effective strategy for increasing electoral support in Africa's emerging multiethnic democracies. However, ethnic political mobilization may be disdained by citizens for its...
November 9, 2020
Annual Reports
Letter From Russ Muirhead; Highlights from the Year; Financials
November 11, 2019
Annual Reports
Letter From Andrew Samwick; Highlights from the Year; Financials
June 9, 2013
Faculty Scholarship
2020 - 2021
June 21, 2021
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PRS Briefs
Lake Winnipesaukee is the largest lake in New Hampshire and an important landmark, providing significant benefits to New Hampshire’s economy. Its presence benefits the tourism and recreation industries in New Hampshire, provides resources to nearby towns, and positively impacts real estate prices...
Promoting Growth & Broadening Prosperity in South Africa
June 1, 2021
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Course Projects
Topics in Global Policy Leadership is the capstone course for public policy students at Dartmouth. Each year, the program produces a white paper about a different country. Past countries include India, Colombia, and Northern Ireland. This year, our group produced a white paper about how South...
Understanding the Capacity Constraints and Identifying Policy Options for Prevention
May 24, 2021
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PRS Briefs
The National Institute of Public Health of Kosovo reported 4,409 incident cases of cancer in 2018, up from 2,308 in 2012.1 Similarly, the Oncology Clinic of UCCK registered 1,483 cancer in 2018,2 including 340 new cases of breast cancer, up from 1,237 cases two years prior to that. Forty-eight...
May 16, 2021
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PRS Briefs
Drawing on previous childhood well-being accountability reports, this report examines the safety, health, and education of New Hampshire children. To accurately determine the well-being of children in each of these three domains requires a two-step analysis. First, the report assesses the extent to...
The transition from special education to adult services for students with disabilities can be abrupt and is often undertaken without full consideration of the needs, aspirations, and abilities of students. This report to the Education and Workforce Development Committee of the New Hampshire Senate...
April 25, 2021
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PRS Briefs
Nearly 42 percent of Vermonters lack access to high-speed internet,2 posing a challenge for the economic prospects of the state. Furthermore, as electricity management is becoming increasingly dependent on internet access in order to organize and allocate distribution, low connectivity levels will...
April 19, 2021
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PRS Briefs
Across the country, rail trails are an environmentally- and commuter-friendly alternative to automobiles and other fossil fuel-burning transportation. They also provide safe locations for a wide range of recreational activities, including mountain biking, snowmobiling, horseback riding, and running...
April 3, 2021
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PRS Briefs
Due to budget cuts in the Department of Environmental Services (DES) Solid Waste Management Bureau, New Hampshire has fallen behind in planning for the future of solid waste management. Four of the six landfills in the state are expected to close within the next decade, while the volume of trash...
March 30, 2021
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PRS Briefs
Regenerative agriculture may provide numerous benefits to the state of Vermont, including increased food security and ecosystem conservation; however, this approach may be much more expensive to farmers than conventional practices. Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES), a process whereby farmers...
March 27, 2021
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PRS Briefs
In recent years, research has increasingly suggested that pesticides such as neonicotinoids cause harm to the environment and pollinator populations. The New Hampshire legislature introduced a bill in January 2019 to ban the use and sale of insecticides and treated seeds in the following categories...
March 26, 2021
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PRS Briefs
From 2007 to 2017, the economic output of the Vermont food system expanded by 48 percent.1 The increase in local food products parallels the increasing consumer demand for local food throughout the state.2 The goal of this report is to understand the current regional food supply systems in Vermont...
March 23, 2021
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PRS Briefs
Anecdotal evidence suggests that parents sometimes discover large credit card purchases made without their authorization because a child unknowingly made in-app purchases on various entertainment and gaming apps. An in-app purchase (IAP) is the process by which users of entertainment and gaming...
March 17, 2021
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PRS Briefs
Prone restraint is a type of physical restraint in which an agitated individual is placed in a face-down position. It is used to control an individual who poses an imminent danger to themselves or others. The New Hampshire restraint law (RSA 126-U) is currently ambiguous. While some stakeholders...
November 27, 2020
State of the State Polls
October 7, 2020
Faculty Scholarship
The current rate of groundwater extraction in the United States is unsustainable, making it essential to understand the impacts of limited water use on food production. Here, we integrate a gridded crop model with satellite observations and water survey data to assess the effects of sustainable...
July 6, 2020
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PRS Briefs
Homelessness is a problem that plagues both urban and rural communities across the nation. The Upper Valley is not immune to this struggle. In fact, homelessness poses a particularly difficult problem in this region for a variety of reasons starting with the difficulties of collecting good data....
2019 - 2020
August 20, 2020
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PRS Briefs
In 2017, the Ministry of Health in Peru (MINSA) implemented the National Telehealth Network to extend high-quality specialty care to remote and rural populations in Peru. Since its establishment, the network has been rapidly expanding, with the number of telehealth sites, teleconsultations, and...
Assessing its Effects Across the State
June 22, 2020
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PRS Briefs
New Hampshire recently implemented a sweeping reform of its pretrial release and bail system, from legislation to litigation. Much of the debate with regard to the bail reform centers on Failure to Appear (FTA) rates, which, to date, have not been estimated reliably in New Hampshire. Response to...
Mitigating Food Insecurity Among Diabetic Patients in Manchester, New Hampshire
June 21, 2020
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PRS Briefs
This report reviews the roles of governments, hospitals, financial institutions, and nonprofit organizations in alleviating food insecurity. The purpose of this report is to provide information to help the Population Health team at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and the Foundation for Healthy...
June 16, 2020
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Faculty Scholarship
This paper uses a panel of SSA earnings linked to the CPS to estimate the impact of increasing post-childbirth work incentives on mothers' long-run career trajectories. We implement a novel research design that exploits variation in the timing of the 1993 reform of the Earned Income Tax Credit (...
Evaluating Sections of Vermont Senate Bill 331
June 12, 2020
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PRS Briefs
Vermont currently has an aging population and is experiencing more out-migration than in-migration. The Federal Reserve recently found that the largest barrier for young professionals staying in and moving to rural areas is the burden of student debt. In S. 331, the state legislature proposes new...
Possibilities for Programming in the New Hampshire Correctional Facility for Women
May 31, 2020
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PRS Briefs
Since 1970, the female incarcerated population has been steadily rising, implying an increased demand for more female-centric programming in the New Hampshire Correctional Facility for Women. In this report, we examine the current programming provided by the New Hampshire Department of...
Evaluating Juvenile Justice Programs in New Hampshire and Across the United States
May 22, 2020
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PRS Briefs
This report provides insight into juvenile justice programs and spending in New Hampshire. To improve the efficiency of spending in New Hampshire, the research team also examined effective evidence-based programs implemented in other states. This report will describe and analyze the applicability...
Presented to the Ministry of Health in Peru (MINSA)
May 15, 2020
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PRS Briefs
In 2017, the Ministry of Health in Peru (MINSA) implemented the National Telehealth Network to extend high-quality specialty care to remote and rural populations in Peru. Since its establishment, the network has been rapidly expanding, with the number of telehealth sites, teleconsultations, and...
Policy Options to Address the Uneven Playing Field
May 14, 2020
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PRS Briefs
The Vermont tourism industry has historically served as an effective source of tax revenue for the state. There are disparities in the taxation and regulation of traditional tourist lodging, like hotels, and the new and burgeoning short-term rental market. The Vermont Senate Committee on...
The Impact of Air Pollution, How to Reduce It and Mitigate Health Impacts
April 21, 2020
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PRS Briefs
Kosovo faces dangerously high rates of air pollution that often reach levels far exceeding international health limits. Approximately 3,700 Kosovars die prematurely because of high air pollution annually, more than any other country in Europe. The harmful effects of air pollution are most...
Wind Farm Sitting Processes in New York, New Hampshire, and Maine
April 17, 2020
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PRS Briefs
The Vermont State Legislature is currently considering changes to siting processes for grid-scale wind farms. This research paper aims to inform deliberations of the state legislature by providing an overview of the wind farm approval processes in the states of New York, New Hampshire, and Maine....
Addressing Drivers and Identifying Policy Options for Change in the Maternal Health System
April 9, 2020
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PRS Briefs
Maternities in Kosovo are not being effectively utilized for deliveries or many other aspects of maternal care. Because finite resources are being invested in these facilities without proportional service delivery, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has identified this issue as a priority. In partnership...
April 9, 2020
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PRS Briefs
This report compiles information relevant to the work of the New Hampshire Service Year Workforce Commission. By surveying New Hampshire’s workforce, service year programs available to young people in the state, and employment and education opportunities offered to service year alumni, the report...
April 9, 2020
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PRS Briefs
As the state of New Hampshire considers adopting the California Clean Cars Program, the key outcomes and takeaways from the implementation of this program in other states provides critical lessons learned for New Hampshire. This report compiles information from five interviews conducted with...
Follow-up on Implementation and Initial Impacts
April 9, 2020
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PRS Briefs
The introduction of proficiency-based learning standards in public high schools in Vermont has been the object of scrutiny, especially among parents and students who are concerned with the implications of these standards for the college admissions process. The new mandate, which aims to encourage...
Barriers, Impacts, and Solutions for Local Food Acquisition
April 9, 2020
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PRS Briefs
By 2025, the State of Vermont intends that 50 percent of the food schools serve be locally produced.[i] As of 2014, 5.6 percent of the food schools serve is locally produced.[ii] The goal of this study is to determine how Vermont might increase the amount of local food in schools and evaluate the...
The Economic and Health Implications
February 25, 2020
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PRS Briefs
This report addresses the health, economic, and legislative implications of 5G rollout in the state of Vermont. A review of recent scientific literature suggests that exposure to radio frequency radiation could have adverse effects on human health. Many state, municipal, and international...
2018 - 2019
A Survey of Programs and Services
June 5, 2019
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PRS Briefs
Workforce development is a broad term that refers to a myriad of activities by private and public organizations with the goal of strengthening the quality of the workforce. These activities can consist of specific and/or general hands-on trainings, educational classes and instruction,...
Investigating ADUs as an Affordable Housing Solution
May 24, 2019
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PRS Briefs
In October 2018, the town of Norwich was denied access to state grants after the Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission found that the proposed town plan failed to meet state standards for regional approval.[i] Norwich was cited, in part, for its failure to set a goal for multifamily or...
May 24, 2019
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PRS Briefs
Lake Champlain is one of the most frequently visited recreation areas by Vermont residents and visitors alike. The lake generates in millions of dollars from its tourism and fishing industries alone. However, the main wastewater treatment facilities in the state have been leaking semi-treated...
Investigation into the Creation of a Child Emancipation Statute in New Hampshire
May 21, 2019
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PRS Briefs
Child emancipation and the termination of parental rights represent large components of the juvenile legal system. Currently, there is no statute governing the granting of child emancipation in the state of New Hampshire and thus rulings in this area must be made solely on the basis of case law and...
Understanding, Identifying, and Combating Parental Alienation
May 21, 2019
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PRS Briefs
Parental alienation is a set of behaviors, sometimes exhibited during divorce proceedings, in which one parent attempts to undermine the relationship between the other parent and their child. This report identifies that such behaviors exist on a continuum with varying levels of psychological...
A Case Study of Federal Regulation and Comparative Drone Legislation
May 12, 2019
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PRS Briefs
Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), or drones, are becoming increasingly prominent in the world. Many people have started using drones recreationally, and there is growing market for drone hobbyists. Businesses have also found creative commercial applications for drones, like using them as a delivery...
Serving Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center Employees
April 24, 2019
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PRS Briefs
This report outlines a roadmap for performing research that will help Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) address its staffing shortage by outlining affordable housing solutions in the Upper Valley. DHMC currently is unable to fill 900 of its 9,000 jobs, in part due to housing issues. In...
Recommendations and Frameworks
April 24, 2019
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PRS Briefs
This report presents the findings of a three-month investigation conducted by a global health research team from Dartmouth, a university in the United States. The team was asked by Hospital Nacional Docente Madre-Niño San Bartolomé to investigate how the hospital could increase access to its...
Examining Policy Alternatives
April 1, 2019
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PRS Briefs
Grandfamilies—families in which the grandparents raise their grandchildren when parents cannot—are unique family structures that neither match a nuclear family nor a foster family. In this report, we examine existing support for grandfamilies and provide additional options for New Hampshire to...
March 7, 2019
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PRS Briefs
Because there is an interest among residents and businesses in expanding local generation of renewable energy, the Town of Wolfeboro, New Hampshire implemented a pilot net metering program in 2008, and the Wolfeboro Municipal Energy Department is now exploring the economic feasibility of expanding...
An Analysis of New Hampshire Senate Bill 193-FN
February 5, 2019
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PRS Briefs
Education Freedom Savings Accounts, or “EFSAs,” are the primary subject of Senate Bill 193-FN. EFSAs would provide financial support to primary and secondary school students in New Hampshire by the state government to help fund students’ private school education or homeschooling if that student...
Fall 2018 PBPL 85 Global Policy Practicum Final Report
January 11, 2019
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Course Projects
This report is the final product of a global policy practicum at Dartmouth College, studying the genesis and implementation of the peace accords signed in 2016 between the Colombian government and the FARC. The report provides relevant background, analysis, and actionable recommendations for the U....
Preliminary Policy Recommendations for a National Program
September 14, 2018
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PRS Briefs
Each year, thousands of citizens of Kosovo with cancer and other chronic illnesses die without the benefits of comprehensive palliative care. Palliative care is offered only in limited forms in the country and is not integrated, comprehensive, or multidisciplinary. Nevertheless, the emergence of...
2017 - 2018
November 13, 2018
Annual Reports
Thirty-Five Years of Excellence; Highlights from the Year; Rocky by the Numbers; Financials
the meaning of ethnic quotas in rural India
October 15, 2018
Faculty Scholarship
Berry Baker Library, Dartmouth College, Cambridge University Press, LC : 2016058543, ISBN : 9781107125926, ISBN : 1107125928Author: Simon ChauchardPolitical representation and intergroup relations -- Untouchability in rural India: persistence and evolution -- Local representation in rural India: a...
Identifying Evidence-Based Interventions and Delivery Strategies
September 6, 2018
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PRS Briefs
Greenland has one of the highest rates of cannabis use in the world. Moreover, cannabis use amongst Greenland’s youth population has emerged as one of the nation’s largest public health concerns. In 2002, 44.1 percent of male and 47 percent of female Greenlandic 15-year-olds had used cannabis....
The Effects of Expanded Retail Licenses
August 27, 2018
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PRS Briefs
Growlers, refillable containers used for carrying draft beer, are difficult to regulate. That is because they often violate the current alcohol regulation system that prevents individual actors from participating in multiple points of the production to retail process. As a result, different states...
June 2, 2018
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PRS Briefs
On May 26, 2018 more than fifty Upper Valley residents gathered at the Nelson A, Rockefeller Center for Public Policy and the Social Sciences at Dartmouth College for a community discussion on affordable housing in the Upper Valley. The event, co–sponsored by the Rockefeller Center and Vital...
June 2, 2018
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PRS Briefs
Affordable housing continues to be a concern among Upper Valley residents. There have been numerous reports in local newspapers addressing the issues and the causes of lack of affordable housing options in the Upper Valley. Despite lack of housing options, there have been difficulties in...
The Cost of Political Competition
May 14, 2018
Faculty Scholarship
Asian Survey, Vol. 58, Number 2, pp. 341-364Author: Simon ChauchardWhy do candidates give voters handouts during political campaigns? Drawing on qualitative data from Mumbai, this article argues that competitive elections prompt candidates to distribute handouts for strategic reasons. While...
Notes of an Unpaid Intern
April 24, 2018
Course Projects
April 16, 2018
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PRS Briefs
In this report, data from five states that have legalized recreational marijuana are analyzed in order to provide comparative knowledge for the New Hampshire state legislature to consider when discussing marijuana policy. After evaluating similarities between New Hampshire and states that have...
Regulation of Perfluorinated Compounds
April 3, 2018
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PRS Briefs
The quality of drinking water is a staple and point of pride for the residents of New Hampshire. Unfortunately, it was recently discovered that the drinking water of several towns of the state has been contaminated by Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs). Although the research on the adverse health...
An Analysis of New Hampshire and Relevant States
March 23, 2018
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PRS Briefs
As a result of the policy changes promulgated by Attorney General Sessions, federal Civil Asset Forfeiture policy has changed. Most notably, the Equitable Sharing Program has been revived, which gives state and local law enforcement agencies the ability to use federal law to seize assets. New...
An Economic Analysis of Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure in Weathersfield, West Windsor, and Windsor
February 28, 2018
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PRS Briefs
The Southern Windsor County region in Vermont, which encompasses the towns of Windsor, West Windsor, and Weathersfield, contains many opportunities for those seeking outdoor recreation. Between Mount Ascutney, the wildlife areas, and the network of outdoor trails, the region offers a variety of...
Analysis of Expenditures and Effectiveness
February 26, 2018
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PRS Briefs
Sobriety checkpoints in New Hampshire are used to deter drunk drivers and to keep New Hampshire roads safe. Though not legal in all states, New Hampshire legitimizes and legalizes these checkpoints through statute with judicial approval. Early in the session, the New Hampshire Committee on Criminal...
Evaluating H.468 through a State by State Comparison
February 22, 2018
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PRS Briefs
Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) is an addiction treatment program that pairs therapy with medication to treat substance use disorders. Currently, Vermont (VT) has an extensive MAT infrastructure consisting of regional treatment “hubs” and community-based “spokes.” The state legislature is...
February 19, 2018
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PRS Briefs
Paid family leave is a major issue that has gained prominence in the past electoral cycles, with both President Obama and President Trump supporting paid leave programs at the federal level.[i] Currently, there is no national program providing paid family leave to workers, but four states now offer...
Responding to the Equifax Crisis
February 12, 2018
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PRS Briefs
Credit is a vital aspect of the global financial system, as it allows consumers and businesses to maintain a constant flow of money that fuels the economy. Without credit, most individuals would not be able to major purchases like a car or a home, and businesses would not be able to acquire the...
Fall 2017 PBPL 85 Global Policy Practicum Final Report
January 30, 2018
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Course Projects
This report is the product of over 12 weeks of rigorous research, including two weeks in Liberia. The team consulted development economics, health and policy literature, as well as newspapers and personal memoirs. In country, we met with public and private sector leaders including the World Bank,...
Policies to Address the Overuse of Cesarean Sections
January 9, 2018
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PRS Briefs
The 1999 conflict in Kosovo left the country with some of the worst maternal and infant health outcomes in all of Europe. Although many maternal and infant health indicators have since improved, the fragmented system has allowed other health outcomes to worsen, including dramatically increasing...
July 18, 2017
Faculty Scholarship
Modern Asian Studies / Volume 51 / Issue 4 / July 2017Author(s): Douglas Haynes, Shrikant BotreThis article examines letters written by young men to the Marathi-language journal Samaj Swasthya and its editor, R. D. Karve, a major advocate of birth control and sex education in western India. The...
2016 - 2017
New Hampshire Feasibility
November 15, 2017
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PRS Briefs
Paid family leave is an issue that has taken the spotlight at the national level and in states across the country. In March 2016, only 13 percent of private employees in the United States had access to paid family leave. Three U.S. states have paid family and medical leave plans. California,...
November 13, 2017
Annual Reports
Alumni Mentors are Instrumental; Rocky by the Numbers; Preparation Meets Opportunity; Guest Speakers Enhance Student Learning; Financials
August 25, 2017
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PRS Briefs
Over the past year, New Hampshire Humanities, a statewide nonprofit aimed at connecting and cultivating communities across cultures, has seen a rise in antagonistic outbursts and verbal attacks during its lecture series, Humanities on the Go. They have tasked us with finding a solution to limit...
Identifying Targets, Vulnerabilities, and Best Practices
July 11, 2017
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PRS Briefs
As the world has become increasingly digital, New Hampshire has stored more information online. Many of the New Hampshire state databases contain sensitive information about individuals, businesses, and property within the state. This report seeks to answer the question posed by Representative Neal...
June 12, 2017
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PRS Briefs
New Hampshire currently houses mentally ill patients considered dangerous to themselves or others in the Secure Psychiatric Unit (SPU) of the New Hampshire State Prison for Men in Concord. Patients are transferred to the SPU from New Hampshire Hospital when the security level of the Hospital is...
A Cost-Benefit Analysis of Joint-State Clean Water Spending
June 5, 2017
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PRS Briefs
In this report, we value the Connecticut River corridor between Vermont and New Hampshire to analyze the combined economic value the river brings to both states. This report focuses on eight metrics to value the river corridor, including community value-added, recreation, fishing, managed resources...
Surveying Upper Valley Community Leaders
This report seeks to provide a greater assessment of needs across the communities that make up the Upper Valley. New Hampshire and Vermont have a large disparity in socioeconomic success between communities across the region. In the Upper Valley, recognizing the variety of needs can better inform...
April 25, 2017
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PRS Briefs
Social Impact Bonds (SIBs) are a new and innovative method of funding public programs. In these programs, an investor provides funding for a public program and is repaid by an outcome funder, usually a government entity, upon the successful completion of the program. This funding structure reduces...
A Cost-Benefit Analysis of Vermont Clean Water Act Spending
April 13, 2017
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PRS Briefs
In this report, we value the Connecticut River corridor between Vermont and New Hampshire to analyze the economic value for the state of Vermont. This report focuses on eight metrics to value the river corridor, including community value-added, recreation, fishing, managed resources, river health,...
Legal Possibilities and Ramifications
March 14, 2017
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PRS Briefs
In the past few years, the growth of the daily fantasy sports (DFS) gambling industry has been remarkable. A derivative of season-long fantasy sports, participants in daily fantasy sports can win monetary prizes depending on the success of the roster (collection of players) they select. In the past...
March 12, 2017
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PRS Briefs
Not only are many current foster parents unsatisfied with the supports offered to them, but inadequate supports may also deter people from becoming foster parents in the first place.[i] To aid Vermont foster parents and the policymakers and organizations that support them, this project explores...
Creating Incentives for Market Growth
March 10, 2017
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PRS Briefs
In 2013, Governor Peter Shumlin of Vermont — along with the governors of California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, and Rhode Island — signed a Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Per the agreement, the coalition of states committed to undertaking...
Assessment of the State of Art Education in Vermont Schools
March 9, 2017
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PRS Briefs
This report will examine the feasibility of conducting a comprehensive assessment of the state of arts education in Vermont. Because data on arts programming are decentralized, we analyzed a representative sample of school districts, selected based on location and population factors. For this...
Evaluating Policy Options across the United States
March 1, 2017
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PRS Briefs
This report examines the various policy options that are available to New Hampshire policymakers relating to the regulation of autonomous vehicles, or self-driving cars. In this report, we explore autonomous vehicles legislation across the United States, breaking bills down into specific categories...
Prepared for the United States Agency for International Development/Kyiv Mission
January 23, 2017
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PRS Briefs
A team of twelve students from the Nelson A. Rockefeller Center at Dartmouth College spent the Fall 2016 term studying the current state of civil society in Ukraine. The students analyzed the relevant documents produced by USAID regarding democracy assessment as well as documents focused...
December 1, 2016
Faculty Scholarship
Journal of Applied Remote SensingAuthor(s): Jonathan W. Chipman, Xun Shi, Francis J. Magilligan, Yaning Chen, and Baofu Li.Abstract. The Tarim and Konqi Rivers in western China have experienced dramatic changes in streamflow and riparian vegetation due to climatic variability, land cover change,...
2015 - 2016
December 1, 2016
Annual Reports
From Theory to Practice: PBPL 85 Global Policy Leadership; Rocky by the Numbers; Intercultural Leadership Competencies; 2016 Dartmouth Experiments Conference; Financials
Results of a Nationwide Survey on Healthcare Issues in Kosovo
October 14, 2016
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PRS Briefs
During the summer of 2016, a nationwide household survey of 1,309 Kosovars was conducted for the Kosovo Women’s Network and the Kosovo Ministry of Health on the state of the healthcare system and on the abilities of Kosovar citizens to access the healthcare system. This report analyzes the...
Analyzing the Impact of New Hampshire's Aging Population
July 18, 2016
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PRS Briefs
This report addresses the problem of New Hampshire’s aging population. Major demographic changes in recent years will dramatically shift the population breakdown of the Granite State, particularly as the Baby Boomers approach retirement. In this report, we examine these trends and propose solutions...
Differences between Vermont's Public and Independent Schools
June 6, 2016
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PRS Briefs
Over ten percent of Vermont’s school-aged children attend one of over 100 independent (private) schools in the state. Some of these students receive monetary vouchers to attend independent schools of their choice because their hometowns lack public schools. Unlike the state’s public schools,...
An Opportunity for Physician, Public, and Private Sector Collaboration
May 23, 2016
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PRS Briefs
The state of New Hampshire recently introduced House Bill 1138 (NH HB 1138) which establishes the Terminal Patient’s Right to Try Act, a piece of legislation which “allows a patient with a terminal illness access to investigational drugs, biological products, and devices.” This bill seeks to allow...
Assessing the Cost and Performance Efficacy of Current Programs
May 20, 2016
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PRS Briefs
We have been tasked by the Education Committee of the Vermont House of Representatives, chaired by Representative David Sharpe, to examine the efficacy of the current special education system in the state of Vermont. We begin by examining the legislative context of special education policy,...
May 18, 2016
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PRS Briefs
This study examines the consolidation of schools, school districts, and SAUs in New Hampshire as cost saving measures for the state’s education system. With declining enrollments and a shrinking school-age population, New Hampshire’s schools may benefit from consolidation without education...
May 4, 2016
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PRS Briefs
HANOVER, NH—The Nelson A. Rockefeller Center’s ninth annual NH State of the State Poll surveyed a sample of New Hampshire registered voters (N=362) from April 11-15, 2016 to assess their opinions on policy issues, elected officials, and the state of the economy in New Hampshire and in the United...
An Economic Assessment of New Hampshire’s Arts and Culture Industries
May 2, 2016
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PRS Briefs
New Hampshire is a state of long-held cultural values and a strong history of arts from performance to design. Evaluating how these massive assets contribute to the economy and how the state can continue to provide an environment where people and firms can flourish in these fields is important to...
What is "Evidence-Based" Policymaking?
April 12, 2016
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PRS Briefs
This report addresses the goal of effective and efficient governance. The New Hampshire legislature receives a number of policy proposals each session claiming to be “evidence- based” but has no program evaluation mechanism. Proposals use different definitions and frameworks, and the legislature...
April 7, 2016
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PRS Briefs
This report provides the New Hampshire House of Representatives’ Children and Family Law Committee with an evaluation of the effects of RSA 461-A (Parental Rights and Responsibilities Act of 2005), RSA 458-C (Child Support Guidelines 2011), and amendments to RSA 461-A (loss of public funds for...
Assessing the Possibility of Establishing a State Bank
March 18, 2016
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PRS Briefs
The possibility of establishing a public bank may offer an opportunity for New Hampshire to exercise more control over its finances, and may offer an opportunity for a public sector institution to fulfill public needs that the private sector cannot or will not adequately meet. This report...
A Spectrum of Economic Possibilities
March 10, 2016
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PRS Briefs
Marijuana legalization is a prominent matter in politics today. While 23 states have legalized use of the entire plant for medicinal marijuana, only four (and Washington, D.C.) have legalized the use of recreational marijuana for people ages 21 and older. This report contextualizes the financial...
March 5, 2016
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PRS Briefs
There is much potential for the New Hampshire electricity grid to run more efficiently and reliably than in its current state. This brief takes on a comparative approach between the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) in the Midwestern United States and the Independent System Operator-...
February 16, 2016
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PRS Briefs
Substance abuse is currently one of the leading public health concerns in the state of New Hampshire. State Representative James Belanger has proposed House Bill 1603 (HB1603), which aims to establish a drug dealer registry in New Hampshire. This report assesses the potential and challenges of a...
An Environmental and Economic Analysis
February 14, 2016
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PRS Briefs
As Lake Champlain, the sixth largest freshwater lake in North America, continues to suffer from excessive phosphorous pollution and expansive algae growth, the State of Vermont faces a costly mandate from the Environmental Protection Agency to curtail the pollution. The cleanup will require a...
PBPL 85: Task Force Report - Fall 2015
December 18, 2015
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Course Projects
In past decades, every presidential administration beginning with President Carter has attempted to secure peace for this terror-filled yet tiny land because doing so promises enhanced stability for the greater Middle East region. But despite billions of dollars in foreign aid, countless...
2014 - 2015
December 1, 2015
Annual Reports
A Decade of Excellence: The Class of 1964 Policy Research Shop; Rocky By The Numbers; Value-Based Leadership Development; Faculty Manuscript Review; Financials
August 30, 2015
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PRS Briefs
This report was commissioned by Representative Tracey Emerick to provide a broad overview of local government services with potential for consolidation in New Hampshire. From 50 potential services, we selected eight services that are candidates for regionalization. We carefully considered whether...
An Analysis of Options for Legislation Limiting New Hampshire Employers' Use of Credit Reports
June 11, 2015
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PRS Briefs
The usage of credit history reports in employment decisions has emerged as a hotly-contested policy issue. For each of the last two legislative sessions, New Hampshire has considered a ban on the practice. Anticipating the possibility of similar proposed legislation in the future, we conduct an...
State and County Operations and Expenditures
June 8, 2015
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PRS Briefs
Prison and jail populations have declined in most states since 2010, but have increased in New Hampshire. Corrections costs have also risen in New Hampshire in recent years. Understanding the reasons for corrections cost growth is complicated by a lack of systematic information on county jail...
Awareness, Compliance, and Implementation Methods
June 1, 2015
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PRS Briefs
Nationally and in New Hampshire, women earn 78 percent of what men earn. 1 The Paycheck Fairness Act in New Hampshire (SB 207), which went into effect on January 1, 2015, looks to close the gender wage gap by allowing employees to discuss their salaries and identify employer discrimination without...
A Comparative Assessment of Vermont's Towns
May 27, 2015
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PRS Briefs
Vermont’s towns determine compensation for municipal administration individually, and as such compensation for town offices is highly variable. This report compares administrative compensation and across Vermont to the Town of Strafford, with a particular focus on towns of a similar size. Road crew...
Examining the Effects of Payroll Card Legislation
May 20, 2015
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PRS Briefs
The use of payroll cards to pay employees has been a topic of contentious debate in recent years. Although many states have already passed laws regulating their usage, current legislation surrounding payroll cards is lacking in New Hampshire. In this report, we investigate the potential impacts of...
Identifying and Analyzing Alternative Dispute Resolution Processes for Vermont
May 13, 2015
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PRS Briefs
In Vermont, the affordable housing review process can take up to a decade, involving communities and developers in lengthy and expensive legal battles that can cause damage to all those involved. The authors of this report have been tasked with researching methods of...
May 6, 2015
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PRS Briefs
President Obama’s job approval rating (34 percent) in New Hampshire remains constant from 2014, while his favorability rating rises to 35 percent from 28 percent in 2014.New Hampshire Senate trial heats show a potentially competitive race between incumbent Senator Kelly Ayotte (R) and current...
A Comparative Case Study of Eastern Coastal States
April 23, 2015
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PRS Briefs
Aquaculture is a burgeoning industry in New England, but current aquaculture policy in New Hampshire requires additional infrastructure to adequately allow for economic growth. Due to the lack of a regulatory framework, aquaculturists are currently able to erect illegal structures and operations on...
Collaborative Event Ethnography with Himalayan and Tibetan Sowa Rigpa Practitioners
April 16, 2015
Faculty Scholarship
Current Anthropology 56(2): 178-204Author(s): Calum Blaikie, Sienna Craig, Barbara Gerke, and Theresia HoferThis article emerges from a workshop titled “Producing Efficacious Medicine: Quality, Potency, Lineage, and Critically Endangered Knowledge,” held in Kathmandu, Nepal, in December 2011....
Reviewing Research in the Context of Vermont's Statewide Program
April 15, 2015
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PRS Briefs
Assessing the Distribution of Program Costs and Benefits
April 15, 2015
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PRS Briefs
Created in 2000, the Energy Efficiency Charge in Vermont funds incentives and subsidies aimed at reducing energy consumption and electricity costs for residents and businesses throughout Vermont. Promoting energy efficiency through the Energy Efficiency Charge remains an important policy goal in...
April 9, 2015
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PRS Briefs
This report presents an overview of natural gas and its role in New Hampshire’s energy future. There has a been a large increase in the use of natural gas in New England in the past decade, but the infrastructure for transporting natural gas has not been updated. Infrastructure constrains have been...
An Analysis of Potential Strategies
March 12, 2015
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PRS Briefs
In 2013, Vermont developed the Lake Champlain TMDL Phase 1 Implementation Plan to reasonably assure the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that Vermont will reduce phosphorus loading in Lake Champlain attributable to nonpoint sources. This plan proposes the establishment of the Vermont Clean...
An Analysis of the Minimum Wage in New Hampshire
March 3, 2015
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PRS Briefs
The minimum wage is one of the most debated topics in economics and the political arena. In this report, we analyze the economic impacts, stakeholder perspectives, and public opinion regarding an increase in the New Hampshire minimum wage. The report first reviews the large body of research on...
A view from Altica in the Teotihuacan Valley
January 22, 2015
Faculty Scholarship
Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, Volume 39, September 2015, Pages 19–35.Early and Middle Formative exchange networks in Mesoamerica initiated lasting patterns of interaction that persisted through the duration of Prehispanic Mesoamerica. This is particularly true with relationships between...
Testing for Political Influence on Public Corruption Prosecutions
October 14, 2014
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Faculty Scholarship
The need to cultivate political support for nominations to higher office creates a conflict of interest for U.S. attorneys and the prosecutors they supervise in cases involving the two major parties. We find evidence of partisan differences in the timing of public corruption case filings around...
October 2, 2014
Faculty Scholarship
Journal of Cognition and Development 15(4): 599-613Author(s): Michele TineThis study was designed to investigate if the working memory profiles of children living in rural poverty are distinct from the working memory profiles of children living in urban poverty. Verbal and visuospatial working...
PBPL 85: Task Force Report - Fall 2014
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Course Projects
Thomas Hobbes once wrote that “the condition of man...is a condition of war.”1Violence—as a vehicle for achieving greater political goals—is a natural phenomenon. But what policies can reverse the inclination for violence and foster peace instead?The following memorandum extrapolates lessons from...
2013 - 2014
December 1, 2014
Annual Reports
Leadership in Action: The Corrigan Gift; Rocky By The Numbers; Experiential Learning Through Social Entrepreneurship; Faculty Grants; Financials.
A Comparative State Analysis and Policy Review
October 1, 2014
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PRS Briefs
New Hampshire does not impose additional license renewal requirements on older drivers. In 2011, the state stopped requiring drivers age 75 and older to pass a road test to renew their licenses. The state’s policies regarding older drivers are now broadly similar to many state policies. Whether...
A Political Feasibility Study of a Centralized Wetlands Buffer Policy
September 15, 2014
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PRS Briefs
Wetlands buffer zone minimum requirements are currently devolved to local governments in New Hampshire. Each municipality determines its own buffer requirement, and some towns impose no buffer requirement. This policy brief assesses the desirability of continuing to set the buffer zone requirements...
Evaluating RSA Chapters 481-488
September 2, 2014
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PRS Briefs
New Hampshire adopted water management and protection laws in a piecemeal manner over many years, often without addressing the complex relationships between regional water systems and sources of nonpoint pollution. The Department of Environmental Services (DES) is currently implementing a more...
Determinants of Repeated Placements in New Hampshire
August 28, 2014
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PRS Briefs
When a child or youth enters out-of-home placement, one of the primary goals of the New Hampshire Division for Children Youth and Families (DCYF) in the Department of Health and Human Services (NH DHHS) is to maintain a stable environment. With more stable living situations, fewer youth re-enter...
Assessing the Substantiation Process
August 28, 2014
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PRS Briefs
This report examines the rate of maltreatment substantiation for youths under the age of 18 in New Hampshire. Substantiation rates refer to the proportion of assessments investigated by the Division for Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) deemed to exhibit evidence of abuse or neglect. New...
An Analysis of Short- and Long-Term Implications
August 16, 2014
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PRS Briefs
New Hampshire is currently entering the evaluation and implementation phase of its e- Courts Project, commissioned in July 2011. The project aims to “...increase efficiency in the New Hampshire Judicial Branch (NHJB) by implementing automated systems through re-engineering of business processes...
A Case Study Analysis of New Hampshire and Maine
June 10, 2014
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PRS Briefs
Shoreland development along lakes and ponds in Vermont is responsible for considerable impacts to aquatic habitats. These impacts include physical erosion, nutrient loading, and damages to near-shore shallow water environments. Before this year Vermont has not had an official policy managing...
An Analysis of Transmission Line Undergrounding
May 20, 2014
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PRS Briefs
The Northern Pass Project is a proposal for a transmission line route that is designed to deliver electricity from Québec to the New England area. The $1.4 billion project will transmit Canadian hydroelectric power to the New England grid via 187 miles of transmission line, including 32.25 miles...
Assessing the Efficacy of Community Mental Health and Peer Counseling in Vermont
May 20, 2014
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PRS Briefs
In 2012 the Vermont Legislature passed Act 79 following the significant loss of inpatient mental health care beds from Tropical Storm Irene. Act 79 provided resources to expand the state’s community-based approach to mental health care, including peer counseling services. This report provides an in...
President Obama’s job approval rating in New Hampshire falls to 36 percent (from 45 percent in 2013), while his favorability rating plummets to 28 percent (from 41 percent in 2013).NH Senate Race within margin of error between incumbent Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D) and challengers Scott Brown and Bob...
An Evaluation of Challenges and Best Practices in Online Fiscal Transparency Across the United States
May 6, 2014
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PRS Briefs
A transparent system for accessing New Hampshire’s government spending and revenue collection is an essential component of ensuring the state’s accountability to its citizens. The public has the right to understand where its state receives revenue, how its tax contributions are spent, and who...
Education and Outmigration from Ethnically Tibetan Communities of Nepal
May 1, 2014
Faculty Scholarship
Mountain Research and Development, 34(2):85-94Authors: Geoff Childs, Sienna Craig, Cynthia Beall, and Buddha BasnyatCommunities that have thrived for centuries in Nepal's rugged mountain environments are facing rapid population declines caused by the outmigration of youths, both males and females...
Developing an Efficient, Innovative, Customer-Driven Approach to Connect the State and its 'Customers
April 18, 2014
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PRS Briefs
In the state of New Hampshire, services across all sectors are currently a convoluted tangle. In many areas, a citizen in need of assistance will need to access services across too broad a range of divisions; likewise, a business owner or entrepreneur will often face a confusing matrix of various...
Supporting End of Life Decision Making
April 10, 2014
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PRS Briefs
With an aging population and ballooning medical expenditures, end of life care has become an issue of prime importance for the State of New Hampshire and the country as a whole. The Physician Order for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST) paradigm has become a particularly influential approach to end...
Organizations and Competing Logics in U.S. Healthcare
March 1, 2014
Faculty Scholarship
Journal of Health & Social Behavior 55(1): 108-124Author(s): Ajit Appari, Denise Anthony, and M. Eric Johnson Health care in the United States is highly regulated, yet compliance with regulations is variable. For example, compliance with two rules for securing electronic health information...
An Analysis of Potential Impacts and Strategies
February 27, 2014
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PRS Briefs
Vermont is currently evaluating whether or not to divest its pension plan from holdings in the fossil fuels industry. This report reviews the crucial elements behind the decision to divest. It addresses the legal and fiduciary impacts that frame the decision to divest, as well as the possible...
Best Practices, Funding Mechanisms, and Comparative State Analysis
February 26, 2014
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PRS Briefs
This report presents an overview of Career and Technical Education (CTE) in Vermont and nationally. A preliminary analysis of curricular opportunities available through Vermont’s CTE programs reveals that while there are many options for students to pursue across the state, programmatic offerings...
Evidence from National Data
January 23, 2014
Faculty Scholarship
Am J Manag Care, 20(17):SP39-SP47 Author(s): Ajit Appari, Eric Johnson, and Denise Anthony ObjectivesTo determine whether health information technology (IT) systems are associated with better patient safety in acute care settings.Study DesignIn a cross-sectional retrospective study,...
November 1, 2013
Faculty Scholarship
Res Publica 19(4):317-333Author(s): Lucas SwaineThis article analyzes the moral and political implications of strong moral character for political action. The treatment provides reason to hold that strong moral character should play a role in a robust normative account of political leadership. The...
Problems of Unionization and Inter-Coder Reliability and Agreement
August 21, 2013
Faculty Scholarship
Sociological Methods and Research 00(0):1-27Author(s): John Campbell, Charles Quincy, Jordan Osserman, and Ove PedersenMany social science studies are based on coded in-depth semistructured interview transcripts. But researchers rarely report or discuss coding reliability in this work. Nor is there...
An Investigation into Welcome Centers of the Northeast
August 9, 2013
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PRS Briefs
The purpose of this report is to inform the New Hampshire state government of ways in which various welcome centers in the Northeast area sustain themselves so they may consider the possibility of reopening three centers that have recently been shut down due to budget cuts. Additionally, the report...
July 31, 2013
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Faculty Scholarship
Cortex, Volume 50, January 2014, Pages 200–203.People frequently evaluate facial attractiveness and make inferences about character traits from faces, and these evaluations are consistent across observers (Todorov, Said, & Verosky, 2011). Do these face evaluations rely on the same...
PBPL 85: Task Force Report - Fall 2013
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Course Projects
The tidal wave of growth carrying India for the past decades following the 1991 reforms has proven to be just that – a wave that is now subsiding, leaving the world’s largest democracy stranded on a barren beach. Time is cheap, poverty is plentiful, and growth has taken leave as the GDP annual...
2012 - 2013
December 1, 2013
Annual Reports
Perkins Bass Visitorship; Policy Research Shop; White House Internships; Rocky by the Numbers, and Financials
Implementing New Hampshire’ s Program
August 1, 2013
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PRS Briefs
New Hampshire’s Medicaid program began its transition to managed care on December 1, 2013. This shift to the managed care model of Medicaid represents an attempt to control costs and improve the coordination of health care. The shift to managed care is part of a national trend, as many states are...
Strategies for Restricting Access to Lethal Means
June 30, 2013
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PRS Briefs
As a result of the emotional, social, and fiscal costs of suicide, in 2008 New Hampshire formed the Suicide Prevention Council, made up of state politicians, doctors, and mental health experts, in order to closely examine the factors contributing to the rise in youth suicide. The committee designed...
A Cross-State Analysis of Energy Facility Siting Board Strategies
June 26, 2013
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PRS Briefs
In recent years, the New Hampshire Site Evaluation Committee has seen an increase in the number and complexity of applications for energy facilities seeking to locate in New Hampshire. Chaired by the Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, the role and...
An Analysis of Practices and their Applicability to Hanover, NH
June 14, 2013
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PRS Briefs
This paper examines the potential functions of school resource officers (SROs) in high schools. It investigates various models of SROs currently in place in order to inform the Hanover School Administrative Unit-70 (SAU-70) and the Hanover Police Department on the options for implementing an SRO in...
The Integration of Public Health and Medical Information
June 4, 2013
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PRS Briefs
The New Hampshire Information and Analysis Center (NHIAC) aims to provide a forum where law enforcement, public health, and private partners can work together to safeguard the homeland, prevent criminal activity, and respond to hazardous events. In pursuit of this goal, by aggregating health and...
For over seventy years, our nation’s telecommunications policy has been based upon the concept of "universal service." Though in recent years technology has radically changed the landscape of the telecommunications industry, its spread has been dramatically inconsistent. Though revolutionary,...
The Role of Students in Building Community Resilience at Institutions of Higher Education
For hundreds of years the assumption that both small- and large-scale communities would fall into chaos should a wide-scale pandemic or natural disaster hit has permeated public consciousness and manifested itself in local and national emergency preparedness plans. Burgeoning research in community...
Feasibility of Strategies for IT Innovation in Local Government
May 31, 2013
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PRS Briefs
In this paper, we analyze information technology (IT) innovation strategies across the United States and assess their applicability to the City of Lebanon, NH. Through collaboration with Lebanon’s City Manager, Greg Lewis, we identify three goals that align with both community needs and the local...
A Study of New Hampshire’s RSA Chapter 339
May 28, 2013
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PRS Briefs
Chapter 339 of the New Hampshire Revised Statutes (RSA) regulates the sale of specific items in the state and can be found under Title XXXI: Trade and Commerce. The chapter contains many laws enacted in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries that are outdated and not actively enforced. This...
An Overview of the National Mortgage Settlement and its Impact
May 13, 2013
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PRS Briefs
This project analyzed the impact of the national mortgage crisis on New Hampshire, specifically looking at foreclosures. We did an in-depth comparison of three states—New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine—and found that New Hampshire was impacted most negatively. Though we cannot draw a definitive link...
Economic Issues, and Social Policies
May 10, 2013
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PRS Briefs
Nelson A. Rockefeller Center Completes 6th AnnualNew Hampshire State of the State PollOn Politics, Economic Issues, and Social Policies.Over three-quarters of voters support universal background checks for firearms sales. Voters' views of New Hampshire economy and personal economic future improve....
An Analysis of Effectiveness and Barriers to Expansion
May 1, 2013
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PRS Briefs
In this report, we analyze the effectiveness of drug courts in New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine. In order to measure effectiveness, we use four criteria: recidivism rates; cost- effectiveness; impact across race, gender, and age; and social consequences. We find that, for the most part, drug...
Evaluating Education Differences and the Role of Naturopathic Doctors (NDs) as Primary Care Providers
April 23, 2013
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PRS Briefs
Vermont is currently undergoing both a shortage of primary care physicians and a reevaluation of policies in the state related to the practice of naturopathy by naturopathic doctors (NDs). This report details the policy history and current policy environment on naturopathy, identifies the areas of...
Benefits and Challenges of Regionalization in Windsor, West Windsor, Hartland, and Weathersfield
April 3, 2013
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PRS Briefs
This report analyzes regionalization in both a broad context and as it could potentially apply to specific small towns in Vermont. Regionalization is currently used to varying degrees across New England and has numerous benefits and drawbacks. If properly implemented, it has the potential to...
Creating a Financially Sustainable Permit Fee Structure
April 3, 2013
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PRS Briefs
The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, Air Resources Division (NHDES) is charged by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate air pollutant emissions within the state through a system of permits and fees. However, the system currently faces a pressing revenue...
An Investigation of Current Practices for Handling Youth in the Criminal Justice System
April 2, 2013
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PRS Briefs
This report provides an overview of how the current New Hampshire juvenile justice system operates with a particular focus on the system’s placement options and probation and post-detention services. The study team analyzed two key indicators of the system’s efficacy: the juvenile recidivism rate...
Pay It Forward and Other Policy Options
April 1, 2013
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PRS Briefs
Students graduating from a college or university in the state of Vermont, they are saddled with, on average, $28,273 of debt, which is one of the highest amounts in the nation. Families of both in-state and out-of-state students have difficulty affording increased tuition hikes. Vermont legislators...
March 20, 2013
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PRS Briefs
As part of coursework for a Sociology course on poverty and public policy, Dartmouth students collaborated with the Upper Valley Haven to perform a qualitative evaluation of the Haven’s Getting Ahead (GA) program. Student interviewers worked in pairs to speak with ten former participants in Getting...
The Impact of Recent NHRS Changes on Municipalities
March 1, 2013
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PRS Briefs
The New Hampshire Retirement System (NHRS) was signed into the New Hampshire Constitution in 1985, making retirement benefits for government employees a legal requirement. Since 1985, the NHRS has undergone reforms including a shift from the use of the Open Group Aggregate equation to the Entry Age...
State Formation and Hinterlands in the Prehispanic Basin of Mexico
February 1, 2013
Faculty Scholarship
Ancient Mesoamerica 24:47-71Author(s): Deborah Nichols, Hector Neff, and George Cowgill George Brainerd directed excavations at Cerro Portezuelo in the mid-1950s to understand the Classic to Postclassic transition and the questions he asked are still salient. We have undertaken a...
A Comparative Case Study Approach to Stormwater Utilities
January 24, 2013
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PRS Briefs
Given Vermont’s pressing need to comply with clean water regulations, the state legislature has expressed interest in the possibility of implementing a statewide stormwater utility. The House Committee of Fish, Wildlife, and Water Resources has commissioned the Rockefeller Center at Dartmouth...
January 1, 2013
Faculty Scholarship
New Political Economy 18(6): 827-844Author(s): Natalka Patsiurko, John Campbell, John HallThis paper examines the proposition that the economic performance of advanced capitalist countries depends on their size and ethnic composition. As such it blends insights from two important literatures in...
The Liturgy of Departure 1095-1300
January 1, 2013
Faculty Scholarship
Speculum 88(1): 44-91
Author(s): M. Cecilia Gaposchkin
In 1293, only two years after the fall of Acre, but many years before the end of crusading aspirations to reclaim Jerusalem, William Durandus, Bishop of Mende, composed a new rite for those taking up the cross "to go in aid of the Holy...
Unions, Firms, and Mobilization of External Allies in Labor Disputes
November 28, 2012
Faculty Scholarship
American Sociological Review 77(6):946-969Author(s); Marc Dixon and Andrew MartinTo cope with steep losses in membership and eroding legal protections, some unions have begun to look outward for help. Scholars likewise point to broad-based coalitions as a potential route to labor’s revitalization....
November 7, 2012
Faculty Scholarship
PNAS 110(1): 70-75Author(s): Beau Sievers, Larry Polansky, Michael Casey, and Thalia WheatelyMusic moves us. Its kinetic power is the foundation of human behaviors as diverse as dance, romance, lullabies, and the military march. Despite its significance, the music-movement relationship is poorly...
October 1, 2012
Faculty Scholarship
Archaeometry 54(5): 821-834Author(s): Bridget Alex, Deborah Nichols, and Michael GlascockDuring the Classic Period, Teotihuacan was an economic centre of central Mexico, but little is known about the development of this system. This paper presents a pilot study in multi-method analysis of Formative...
Evidence from a Panel Data Analysis of US Acute-Care Hospital
July 20, 2012
Faculty Scholarship
Health Services Research 48(2): 354-375Author(s): Ajit Appari, M. Eric Johnson, Denise AnthonyObjectiveTo estimate the incremental effects of transitions in electronic health record (EHR) system capabilities on hospital process quality.Data SourceHospital Compare (process quality), Health...
2011 - 2012
December 1, 2012
Annual Reports
The 2011 Republican Debate at Dartmouth; Policy Research Shop; Rockefeller Leadership Fellows; Rocky by the Numbers; and Financials
A Community Integration Framework
November 13, 2012
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PRS Briefs
The purpose of this report is to examine refugee resettlement programs in New Hampshire and to explore best practices that can be beneficial to refugees and their host communities. We first provide a brief overview of the status of refugees and the role of the federal and state government in...
Current Options and Implications for the State of New Hampshire
June 24, 2012
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PRS Briefs
The purpose of this report is to outline the history of concussion education, management, and prevention, as well as current action and legislation designed to address this problem. The report defines what a concussion is and its prevalence in sports, along with estimates for the cost of concussion...
Privatization in State Parks, Hospitals, and Prisons
June 22, 2012
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PRS Briefs
Most states began to develop a basic system of parks in the early 1920s. In the 1930s states grew these park systems into decidedly more substantial entities, largely through federal monies distributed as a part of the Roosevelt administration’s Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) program. While the...
Nationwide Analysis and Policy Options
June 20, 2012
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PRS Briefs
This report analyzes available models and best practices for longitudinally tracking refugees in the United States. New Hampshire currently tracks refugees at the minimum level required by federal programs, and seeks to explore alternatives that would better evaluate the effectiveness of refugee...
A Report on General and Commercial Aviation in New Hampshire
June 4, 2012
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PRS Briefs
The majority of New Hampshire’s 143 airports are small, unpaved, private facilities. However, this report focuses primarily on the state’s twenty-four public access airports, which together comprise most of the state’s aviation activity. The quality of these twenty- four airports differs enormously...
An Analysis of Rehabilitation Program Options for the New Grafton County Jail
June 4, 2012
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PRS Briefs
For the past few decades, the Grafton County Jail has had four types of rehabilitation programs: substance abuse programs, a GED program, a community work program, and a ‘threshold and decision-making program.’ This report examines correctional facility programs in other rural counties for possible...
a national study of US Hospitals
May 31, 2012
Faculty Scholarship
Journal of American Medical Informatics Association, 19(3):360-367Author(s); Ajit Appari, Emily Carran, M. Eric Johnson, and Denise AnthonyOBJECTIVE:To determine whether the use of computerized physician order entry (CPOE) and electronic medication administration records (eMAR) is associated with...
An Analysis of Causes and Solutions
May 22, 2012
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PRS Briefs
In 2011, the United States Department of Agriculture ranked Vermont the ninth hungriest state in America. Research shows that children are especially affected by food insecurity. The federal government runs a National School Lunch Program (NSLP) to help families in need provide food for their...
Shifting from Institutionalized to Home and Community-Based Care
May 13, 2012
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PRS Briefs
In the context of an increasingly older population and rising medical costs, especially for the elderly population, New Hampshire policymakers have recently decided to shift the state’s resources for long-term care from institutional providers (e.g., county nursing homes) to home- and community-...
A Study of the Current Fee Creation System
May 2, 2012
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PRS Briefs
New Hampshire legislators recently considered House Bill 624, which would have mandated that the legislature establish all state fees and fines through statute. This measure would have shifted control over the establishment and adjustment of fee amounts from state agencies to the legislature,...
A Study of the Costs and Benefits Facing the Granite State in Choosing to Opt Out of the Federally-Matched Medicaid Program
April 23, 2012
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PRS Briefs
Given the large structural deficit of the State of New Hampshire and the significantly increased eligibility standards for Medicaid under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), the Rockefeller Center has been tasked with assessing the impact of the decision to opt-out of Medicaid...
April 18, 2012
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PRS Briefs
The Rockefeller Center’s fifth annual New Hampshire State of the State Poll surveyed a sample of New Hampshire registered voters (N=403) on April 2-5, 2012 to get voter opinions on policy issues, elected officials, and the state of the economy in New Hampshire and in the United States. Sample...
A Preliminary Survey of Existing and Potential Policy Options
April 10, 2012
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PRS Briefs
Effective Vermont river management is vital to preserving the economic value of floodplains and waterways while reducing the damage to human property and life. Waterways are an important feature in the Vermont environment, and play a great role in agriculture, nutrient transport, recreation,...
March 8, 2012
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PRS Briefs
This report analyzes performance management systems for use within the New Hampshire Department of Safety and its divisions. The first part of our report focuses on umbrella systems for department-wide strategic planning. There are several key components to any successful and useful performance...
Options for Reforming Voter Identification Requirements
March 6, 2012
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PRS Briefs
Presently, New Hampshire is one of twenty states in the country that does not require identification to vote. In 2011, the New Hampshire General Court passed Senate Bill 129, which would have required that voters present a valid state or federal government-issued photograph identification (photo ID...
Assessing the Possibility of Establishing a State Ombudsman Office for the State of Vermont
February 16, 2012
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PRS Briefs
This purpose of this report is to assess the costs and benefits of implementing an independent ombudsman office in the State of Vermont. We specifically analyzed the roles, structures, and budgets of state ombudsman offices in the five U.S. states with classical ombudsman offices that have...
How State and Federal Government Retirement Plans Maintain Purchasing Power
February 10, 2012
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PRS Briefs
Cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for retirees in the New Hampshire Retirement System are currently awarded on an ad hoc basis, subject to annual approval by the Legislature. The Legislature wishes to explore alternatives to this approach. This report gives a broad overview of the different types...
An Analysis to Provide Best Practices Recommendations
February 8, 2012
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PRS Briefs
The Legal Aid Referral Center (LARC) keeps a complete a record of its incoming and outgoing phone calls in the form of an electronic dataset. However, it lacks the resources and necessary statistical tools to draw meaningful information from the data. Our goal is to develop a strategy to streamline...
The Archaeology of Aztec Commerce at Otumba Mexico
January 1, 2012
Faculty Scholarship
Library of Congress, 2013Author(s): Deborah Nichols
An Analysis of Options for the Old Grafton County Jail
November 1, 2011
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PRS Briefs
The Grafton County Correctional Facility is over 110 years old, overcrowded, and in poor condition. In 2005 the National Institute of Corrections funded a Physical Plant Assessment which cited numerous deficiencies caused by the physical condition of the main building of the old facility. In...
Ethnic, Linguistic and Religious Fractionalization in the OECD
July 11, 2011
Faculty Scholarship
Ethnic and Racial Studies, 35(2), 2012Author(s): Natalka Patsiurko, John Campbell, and John HallMany claim that national economic success depends upon cultural homogeneity. We collect new time-series data and develop new measures of ethnic, linguistic and religious fractionalization for the OECD...
2010 - 2011
A Study of Legal Aid Services and Needs in New Hampshire
August 15, 2011
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PRS Briefs
Legal aid is the provision of assistance to people otherwise unable to afford legal representation and access to the court system. Forms of legal aid have existed since the early 1900s, primarily through private funding. In 1974, Congress created the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) to provide...
June 21, 2011
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PRS Briefs
The data used in this report was built upon The Vermont Balance of State Continuum of Care Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and Annual Point in Time (PIT)Surveys. The Nelson A. Rockefelle r Center at Dartmouth College Center, a catalyst for public policy research has engaged with the...
An Overview of Characteristics and Challenges
June 14, 2011
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PRS Briefs
In recent years, much attention has been paid to the need to innovate and reform public schools. One response to this education reform movement was the creation of charter schools. This report looks at the charter school movement in New Hampshire and the current condition of charter schools in the...
The Effect of Medicaid Expansion on Long Term Care
June 10, 2011
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PRS Briefs
This policy brief considers the potential effects of the recent Medicaid expansion on the provision of long term care in New Hampshire. In 2010, Congress passed national health care reform that aims to impact positively the residents of the State of New Hampshire by easing the strain of long term...
June 6, 2011
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PRS Briefs
This policy brief is a project for the Burlington Housing Authority (BHA) conducted by the Rockefeller Centers Policy Research Shop. The goal is to provide information about three distinct Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Initiatives for the BHA. Drawing on three case studies, the brief...
Evaluations of Efficiency by Municipal Project Managers
May 31, 2011
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PRS Briefs
This report assesses the effectiveness of the Local Transportation Facilities (LTF) program in Vermont. It finds that while the program is useful for relatively large and not pressing infrastructure developments, it can be overly burdensome and inflexible for municipalities with immediate needs or...
Background Information and Policy Options for New Hampshire
May 24, 2011
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PRS Briefs
The goal of this report is to provide an overview of shared decision making as a health care practice and related policy options for the state of New Hampshire. Through evaluation of current research and salient case studies, this report seeks to highlight the opportunities and challenges of...
Housing Stock Surveying Options for Claremont, NH
May 23, 2011
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PRS Briefs
The City of Claremont, New Hampshire approached the Rockefeller Centers Policy Research Shop about methods for surveying housing stock in the city. At that time, Claremont had just received a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grant with provisions attached to its award. One of...
May 23, 2011
Faculty Scholarship
International Center for Business and Politics (48): 1-28Author(s): John Campbell and Ove PedersenComparative political economy has been dominated since the 1970s by two waves of research. The first one examined how different types of policy-making regimes affect policy making and, in turn,...
Evaluating the Suitability of Property Tax Exemptions and PACE Financing for Lebanon, New Hampshire
May 19, 2011
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PRS Briefs
This report assesses the suitability of two renewable energy incentive programs, property tax exemptions and Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE), for Lebanon, New Hampshire. We find that property tax exemptions are popular in theory but are seldom claimed in the New Hampshire municipalities that...
An Analysis of the Economic and Social Implications
May 10, 2011
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PRS Briefs
There is currently an ongoing debate in the United States Congress over the Environmental Protection Agency’s jurisdiction in regulating greenhouse gas emissions. Due to competing interests, a federal policy regulating the emissions has yet to pass through Congress. Many experts believe that it is...
A Study of the Implications of Treating Seventeen-Year-Olds as Adults in the New Hampshire Criminal Justice System
May 1, 2011
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PRS Briefs
This report examines the effects and implications of the 1996 New Hampshire law that transferred seventeen-year-old offenders to the adult criminal justice system. It analyzes the benefits and drawbacks of this decision with the available budget and recidivism data. The report also compares New...
Electrophysiological evidence from children and adults
March 31, 2011
Faculty Scholarship
Developmental Neurophysiology 36(3): 302-318Author(s): Donna Coch, Priya Mitra, Elyse George, Natalie BergerEvent-related potentials (ERPs) and behavioral accuracy judgments were recorded in a letter name rhyming paradigm (e.g., A-J versus A-B) with 6- to 8-year-old beginning readers...
Assessing the Consequences of a Decade of Funding Cuts
March 29, 2011
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PRS Briefs
This report analyzes data obtained through research of past literature, consumer satisfaction survey analysis, and original interviews with mental health providers. The objective is to provide relevant information about past and present mental health services in New Hampshire, the impact of recent...
An Analysis of New Hampshire’s Business Tax Environment
February 18, 2011
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PRS Briefs
This report’s goals are to evaluate how New Hampshire’s tax and incentive structure affects business investment in the state, compare it to other states’, and discuss policies that could enhance business investment in different areas of New Hampshire’s economy. To evaluate New Hampshire’s business...
An Evaluation of Vermont Child Poverty Council Benchmarks
January 31, 2011
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PRS Briefs
This report has been prepared for the Vermont Child Poverty Council (VCPC), a subcommittee of the Vermont state legislature tasked with reducing childhood poverty by fifty percent by the year 2017. The VCPC tasked the Policy Research Shop to find out whether or not the data for measuring a series...
An Analysis of the Rockefeller Center’s 2010 “State of the State” Poll
December 16, 2010
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PRS Briefs
This report on the Nelson A. Rockefeller Center’s third annual “State of the State” poll captures the opinions of New Hampshire residents in regards to economic, budgetary, environmental, and social policy issues and other questions. In addition to reporting the overall opinions on these subject...
A Profile of Vermont Residents in Deep Poverty Prepared for the Vermont Child Poverty Council
August 25, 2010
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PRS Briefs
This report has been prepared for the Vermont Child Poverty Council, a special coalition of lawmakers, state officials and social workers tasked by the legislature to study ways to decrease child poverty by fifty percent by 2017. The Vermont Child Poverty Council asked the Policy Research Shop to...
2009 - 2010
An Analysis of the Costs of Relaxing Eligibility Criteria
June 8, 2010
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PRS Briefs
New Hampshire has the most restrictive duration requirements to receive state disability benefits in the nation. While all other states and the federal government only require that an applicant be unable to work for one year, New Hampshire requires that an applicant be unable to work for four years...
Current Strategies, Future Solutions, and an Experimental Investigation of Online Resources
June 1, 2010
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PRS Briefs
This report describes a research project undertaken by Dartmouth students seeking to evaluate how effectively the New Hampshire Judicial Branch’s web site supports litigants who chose to represent themselves (“pro se”) in civil and family court. Servicing these people’s needs effectively via the...
A Report on Homeless Shelters in New Hampshire and Vermont
May 24, 2010
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PRS Briefs
The following analyses are the product of all research and data collected by a group of Dartmouth undergraduate students working in the Policy Research Shop at the Rockefeller Center from October 2009 to May 2010. Most of the data was collected through interviews with shelter directors and state...
Renewable Energy Incentives, Energy Metering, and Energy Conservation Incentives
May 24, 2010
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PRS Briefs
New Hampshire’s “Renewable Portfolio Standards” legislation sets the goal that by 2025 a quarter of the energy used in the state will be generated from renewable resources. Currently, approximately nine percent of the energy consumed in the state is produced by renewable sources. Even though this...
May 19, 2010
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PRS Briefs
The Rockefeller Center’s third annual State of the State surveyed a sample of New Hampshire registered voters (N=406) to get their opinions on policy issues, elected officials, and the state of the economy in New Hampshire and in the United States. Sample demographics and polling methodology are...
A Study on the Impacts of Public Funding and Specialized Parks Departments
May 17, 2010
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PRS Briefs
New Hampshire has the only state park system in America that is entirely self-funded. The New Hampshire State Legislature is interested in determining whether the current self-funding scheme can provide sufficient funding to maintain the quality of New Hampshire’s state parks. To address this...
National Trends and Policy Options for New Hampshire
April 26, 2010
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PRS Briefs
This report examines the DWI repeat offender adjudication process both within New Hampshire and nationwide. Following a review of recent literature, analysis of current policies throughout the United States, and detailed case studies, authors conclude with New Hampshire-specific policy...
A Study of Student Leaders, Members, and Organizations
March 26, 2010
PRS Briefs
Through interviews, surveys, and focus groups this report examines student leadership at Dartmouth College. From the research I identify three main trends for discussion--the differences in characteristics and leadership styles between genders, the causes and practice of authoritarian leadership,...
A Comprehensive Analysis of State Regulatory Bodies, Legislatures, and Health Departments
March 16, 2010
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PRS Briefs
Central to New Hampshire’s decision on expanding gambling in the state is the social impact such a decision will have on current residents. This report examines how gambling regulatory bodies, state legislatures, and departments of health have addressed expanded gambling in thirty-four states. In...
An Overview of ASME and EN 303-5 Biomass Boiler Standards
March 10, 2010
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PRS Briefs
New Hampshire has the stated goal of expanding its renewable energy portfolio. An option for New Hampshire to achieve that goal is through the use of biomass fuel. The state’s vast reserves of potential biomass fuel make it particularly well suited to this source of renewable energy.New Hampshire...
Determining the Proper Standards for New Hampshire
January 12, 2010
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PRS Briefs
The rules and regulations that govern the access that third parties have to the ballot in New Hampshire are some of the nation’s strictest. This report specifically outlines these relevant state laws, summarizes the constitutional dimensions of ballot access laws, and assesses New Hampshire’s laws...
Denmark in Historical and Comparative Context
December 23, 2009
Faculty Scholarship
Nations and Nationalism 16(1): 89-107Author(s): John Campbell and John HallThe teleological functionalism of Gellner's theory of nationalism has been much criticized. Attention here is on a different matter, namely Gellner's basic premise – that national homogeneity is a condition for societal...
An Analysis of the Rockefeller Center 2009 “New Hampshire State of the State” Poll
December 9, 2009
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PRS Briefs
The following report analyzes the results of the 2009 “New Hampshire State of the State” poll conducted by the Rockefeller Center at Dartmouth College in May of 2009. Specifically, this report studies respondents’ answers to questions in the poll relating to political activism, the current national...
2008 - 2009
December 1, 2009
Annual Reports
Corrigan Family Gift Launches Leadership Initiative at Dartmouth; Learning and Living Leadership; The Role of Alumni and Friends;
Community Outreach and Partnership Opportunities
August 6, 2009
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PRS Briefs
This report discusses the potential to create partnerships in sustainability with surrounding local businesses and academic communities. While the Town of Hanover can set an example by instituting sustainable public policies and practices, it will ultimately have to rely upon local businesses and...
An Examination of Resources and Ideas for Hanover, NH
August 4, 2009
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PRS Briefs
This report explores a variety of creative ways in which local governments, both in the United States and in foreign countries, have funded projects aimed at increasing their environmental sustainability.
June 23, 2009
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PRS Briefs
Workshop in Business Opportunities, or WIBO, is an entrepreneurial training and development program that originated in the Harlem district of New York City in 1966. The 16-week course introduces participants to a variety of concepts essential for the successful operation of a small business. In...
Comparing Selected Cities and Towns
June 9, 2009
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PRS Briefs
This report provides a general overview of the structures of local governance in New Hampshire cities and in New Hampshire towns with populations in the 10,000 to 20,000 range, and compares them to the city of Lebanon’s system of local governance.
Remediation and Redevelopment Funding Options
June 3, 2009
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PRS Briefs
The City of Lebanon (the City) is considering the immediate purchase of a one-acre portion of the 19.1 acre Westboro rail yard from the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT). The City is additionally entertaining the possibility of purchasing the southern portion of the site if...
Jurisdictional Boundaries in Hanover
May 27, 2009
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PRS Briefs
Dartmouth College operates in a unique position in the Town of Hanover where the College has the right to discipline students and enforce laws alongside local law enforcement forces. Dartmouth College’s jurisdiction extends over all campus property and over all students at the College. Dartmouth...
Standardization and Coordination Policy Options to Curb Recidivism Rates of the Mentally Ill and Those with Substance Abuse Problems
May 18, 2009
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PRS Briefs
This report was written in order to address the potential benefits of coordinating the New Hampshire Department of Corrections (DOC) across all levels of government, from county to state. It analyzed this possibility through the lens of the overflowing prison populations, particularly the large...
An Assessment of Applicable Funding Options
May 12, 2009
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PRS Briefs
Due to the lack of cohesion amongst Vermont’s local transportation systems, coordination is an endeavor that is currently being considered. The current twenty-six transportation systems of Vermont have been able to operate themselves through various forms of localized and federal funding streams;...
Assessing the Need and Efficacy of Personal Financial Education in New Hampshire Public Schools
April 30, 2009
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PRS Briefs
In the spring of 2008, The Rockefeller Center Policy Research Shop published Policy Brief 0708-02, detailing statistics and policy options relevant to New Hampshire House Bill 1462, which sought to establish an Office of Personal Financial Education in the New Hampshire Treasury Department.This...
Working to Ensure New Hampshire’s Present and Future
April 30, 2009
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PRS Briefs
Insufficient retirement savings is a growing issue for both the citizens of the State of New Hampshire and those of the entire United States. This report analyzes academic research, current business models, and the retirement systems of other states to ultimately offer solutions to the savings...
Current Status of Mental Health Problems in New Hampshire, Effects of New Federal Legislation and Other States’ Experiences
April 23, 2009
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PRS Briefs
In our state, lack of access to mental health and substance care is a pressing issue. Over the last decade, New Hampshire (NH) residents have consistently reported high rates of alcohol and substance abuse in comparison to national averages, yet the state's efforts and infrastructure to deal with...
New Hampshire’s Response to a National Problem
March 9, 2009
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PRS Briefs
Voter suppression, defined in this report as any behavior intended to deter an eligible voter from casting a ballot, has been an ongoing concern in the debate surrounding election law and election administration. This report outlines the history, practices, and legislation surrounding major...
An Assessment of Applicable Methods of Improvement and Funding for Vermont Transportation
March 1, 2009
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PRS Briefs
Due to the lack of cohesion within Vermont Transportation system, the ability to have an enhanced unified system secured financially has been on ongoing issue. The current twenty six transportation systems of Vermont have been able to operate themselves through various forms of localized and...
December 11, 2008
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PRS Briefs
During the week of April 28-May 2, 2008, students in the Policy Research Shop conducted a telephone survey of New Hampshire registered voters. Calls were made between the hours of 6:30pm and 9:30pm on Monday through Thursday evenings. Additional calls were made during daytime hours on Tuesday...
2007 - 2008
December 1, 2008
Annual Reports
Three significant events in 2008--the presidential election, the 100th anniversary of Nelson Rockefeller's birth, and the 25th anniversary of the Rockefeller Center--provided many opportunities to expand and enhance the Center's programs for students, faculty, and the community.
July 21, 2008
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PRS Briefs
Poverty is a persistent problem in New Orleans. Pre-Katrina figures reveal that a large percentage of the city's population lived below the poverty line. The storm has only exacerbated the conditions as well as the racial pattern of who experiences poverty. Many policy makers are looking to...
An Empirical Analysis of Potential Revenue Sources
July 18, 2008
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PRS Briefs
Over the next ten years, New Hampshire faces a $1.74 billion deficit in its plan to build and repair state highways and bridges according to the New Hampshire Department of Transportation. In order to avoid delays in construction and potentially hazardous transportation infrastructure conditions,...
Policy Options for Primary Prevention
July 15, 2008
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PRS Briefs
Lead poisoning has been linked to numerous behavioral problems and health conditions among children with elevated lead blood levels. This report first focuses on methods that have been used for primary prevention and then gives several policy recommendations that can be implemented in New Hampshire...
Costs and Quality of Care
June 30, 2008
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PRS Briefs
In response to increased awareness, both nationally and in New Hampshire, of the mental health needs of prison inmates this report aims to provide New Hampshire policymakers with a better understanding of the status, challenges, and policy options New Hampshire faces with regard to mental health...
June 18, 2008
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PRS Briefs
Healthy New Hampshire 2010 was published in 2001 by the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services in order to establish baselines and set goals for health indicators in the state. Eleven broad public health focus areas related to disease prevention and health promotion were chosen by...
May 30, 2008
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PRS Briefs
This policy brief explores problems and policy solutions regarding affordable housing in both Hanover and New Hampshire as a whole. The current standard for affordable living, set by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, is that a family or individual should pay no more than 30 percent...
A Process Analysis with Recommendations
May 29, 2008
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PRS Briefs
With continuing population growth and changing land use patterns, rural character has become an important topic of interest for the Town of Hanover. Hanover residents have overwhelmingly responded that preserving the rural character of the town is important, and since 1974 the town has released...
Fitting into the Larger Pandemic Planning Context
May 28, 2008
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PRS Briefs
Planning for a potential pandemic influenza event is a process being undertaken at all levels of government in states and international agencies throughout the world. Current concern about a potential pandemic stems from the "existence of an influenza virus of pandemic potential," namely a strand...
May 15, 2008
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PRS Briefs
The manifestations of global warming and climate change can be seen in cities, towns, and villages all over the world, although their specific effects depend on a number of local geographical, political, social, and economic factors. Local governments are in a unique position to address the main...
May 12, 2008
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PRS Briefs
Current in-state landfill capacity is adequate for the next 25 years, when New Hampshire will have to begin the potentially expensive endeavor of exporting waste, according to New Hampshire's Department of Environmental Services. To extend the lifetime of in-state solid waste disposal capacity, New...
Policy Options Related to New Hampshire House Bill 1462
April 24, 2008
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PRS Briefs
House Bill 1462 would establish an Office of Personal Financial Education in New Hampshire's Treasury Department. If passed, the bill would provide financial literacy resources to New Hampshire's citizens and equip the State Treasurer with the authority to coordinate current efforts to improve...
Policy Options to Provide Broadband to Underserved Areas
March 14, 2008
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PRS Briefs
In spite of the many uses and likely economic benefits of broadband Internet access, several geographic and demographic factors suggest that New Hampshire's broadband Internet accessibility is not as prevalent as more populated and urban states throughout the country. In particular, New Hampshire's...
The potential for biofuel production in Vermont
March 9, 2008
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PRS Briefs
Cellulosic ethanol is a renewable liquid biofuel that has emerged as a prospective alternative transportation fuel source with significant environmental implications. Sources of cellulosic biomass from which ethanol can be made include, but are not limited to: agricultural wastes such as corn...
Assessment of Current Regulations and Models for Future Action
January 23, 2008
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PRS Briefs
Riparian zones play a crucial role in improving water quality by filtering pollution from surface runoff before it can enter lakes, streams, and other bodies of water. These areas are becoming increasingly degraded by human activities, such as construction and the clearing of vegetation. While many...
Policies for Alleviating Traffic Congestion in Downtown Hanover and Norwich
April 27, 2007
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PRS Briefs
While rural areas might not be known for their traffic, congestion is a significant problem in the downtown districts of many small New England towns. The towns of Norwich, VT and Hanover, NH have had to deal with traffic congestion in their downtowns. In Hanover, downtown congestion appears to...
2006 - 2007
December 1, 2007
Annual Reports
The Rockefeller Center's alignment with the new mission statement of Dartmouth College; Dartmouth-Oxford Exchange program at Keble College;
A Policy Brief for the Next Generation Commission
September 4, 2007
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PRS Briefs
In Vermont, decreasing numbers of students are deciding to attend college in their home state, and extremely low numbers of students remain in Vermont for their adult lives. This so-called "brain drain" of young Vermonters has particularly detrimental effects on the state's economy, as a young...
July 31, 2007
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PRS Briefs
In 1990, the Environmental Protection Agency estimated that there were nearly one billion scrap tires in stockpiles across the nation. The most recent data of Vermont, reported by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2001, indicates that as many as 200,000 scrap tires are stored in stockpiles....
Benefits and Implementation Considerations
The benefits provided to communities by urban forestry programs, specifically street tree planting and maintenance, appear to outweigh the costs in all cases studied. As such, street tree planting and management programs may be viable options for communities to consider incorporating if they are...
July 23, 2007
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PRS Briefs
This report seeks to assess the status of first responder communications and interoperability in Vermont and describes the potential of interoperable equipment to assist in responding to ...
Assessing Pre-Kindergarten Education in Vermont
May 4, 2007
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PRS Briefs
In 2004, education expenditures constituted an average of 21.4 percent of state budgets nationwide. As the largest single expenditure for most state governments, public education programs come under scrutiny for their effectiveness and quality and are constantly adapting to fit the needs of...
An Introduction to an Alternative Fuel Source for the State of Vermont
May 2, 2007
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PRS Briefs
For reasons ranging from environmental health to the stability and long-term viability of petroleum as a fuel source, exploring alternative energy has emerged as an important issue for the state of Vermont. One aspect of this issue is the prospective wide scale use of biodiesel as a...
Exploring Measures to Prevent and Detect Fraud
At present, more than 20 percent of total state spending nationally is dedicated to Medicaid, making it the second largest item in most state budgets after education. As funds become limited and health care needs expand, states must search for ways to cut costs while still providing quality...
Providing for Children in Foster Care
March 10, 2007
PRS Briefs
New Hampshire provides substantial Medicaid funding for children in foster care yet often still struggles with identifying and treating foster children's mental and physical health problems. This report highlights three areas of concern regarding the provision of Medicaid services to foster...
A Final Report to the New Hampshire Voluntary Retirement Project
January 31, 2007
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PRS Briefs
In New Hampshire and throughout the United States, a significant portion of the population is not actively saving for retirement. Almost half of New Hampshire workers ages 21 to 64 are not enrolled in an employer-sponsored retirement savings plan. The overall effect of low retirement savings is...
Current Legal and Policy Implications for Prevention and Cleanup
December 5, 2006
PRS Briefs
Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) has replaced lead as an on the United States to increase engine combustion efficiency and reduce tailpipe emissions. The use of MTBE was expanded after the 1990 Clean Air Acts Amendments (CAA Amendments) both banned the use of lead as a gas additive and...
2005 - 2006
December 1, 2006
Annual Reports
The Board of Visitors conducted a year-long strategic review of current undergraduate programs with the intention of identifying ways in which the Center's influence and reach could be extended.
Interpreting and making sense of multi-level state funding
October 25, 2006
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PRS Briefs
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines a brownfield as "real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant." In both Vermont and New Hampshire, the majority of...
Prescription Drug Cost Containment
October 24, 2006
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PRS Briefs
New Hampshire and Vermont, along with many other states, are currently struggling to contain the continually rising cost of Medicaid. In recent years, prescription drugs have been one of the largest and the fastest growing component of these costs in both states and across the nation. This report...
Preventative Care and Obesity
October 24, 2006
PRS Briefs
New Hampshire and Vermont, like many states, face the challenge of providing affordable, high-quality Medicaid programs while operating under budget constraints. One component of these medical expenses is the cost of caring for the steadily rising proportion of obese citizens. Medicaid costs...
Long-Term Care for the Elderly
September 29, 2006
PRS Briefs
The demand for long-term care in the United States is rapidly rising due to the high growth rate of the elderly population. Along with other states, New Hampshire and Vermont must develop financially viable strategies to ensure adequate and efficient programs for long-term care. Medicaid is the...
A Policy Brief for the State of New Hampshire
September 21, 2006
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PRS Briefs
A current trend in the state parks systems of the United States is "privatization" of certain functions and services. Privatization, as defined by author and Director Emeritus of Florida State Parks, Ney C. Landrum, is the "transfer of responsibility for selected state park functions or activities...
A Survey of School Superintendents
April 19, 2006
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PRS Briefs
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) legislated state accountability in "meeting annual measurable achievement objectives" for student competence in mathematics and reading. The imposition of high-stakes testing is intended to encourage schools to improve education in these areas. The new...
A Policy Analysis for the State of New Hampshire
March 13, 2006
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PRS Briefs
A Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) is a policy mandate that a given proportion of power supplied by retail electricity providers be derived from approved renewable sources. While there is no uniform approach to the construction or implementation of an RPS policy, several common and important...
A Policy Analysis of the Factors Affecting CTE Participation Rates
February 23, 2006
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PRS Briefs
Vermont's Career and Technical Education (CTE) program works with high schools to provide students with technical education programs for at least one of their last two secondary years, with the goal of satisfying Vermont's job placement and business demands. CTE offers 64 career and technical...
2004 - 2005
December 1, 2005
Annual Reports
Andrew Samwick succeeded Linda Fowler as Director of the Rockefeller Center and Ron Schram took over as Chair of the Board of Visitors from Mike Jackson.
Effectively Siting Turbines
May 12, 2005
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PRS Briefs
Developing the full potential of wind resources in New Hampshire holds great promise for helping to meet the state's energy needs. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that about 179,000 acres in New Hampshire may be suitable for wind energy development. While much of this land is on...
April 15, 2005
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PRS Briefs
Like many states across the nation, New Hampshire and Vermont face the challenge of addressing the rising costs of health care within the constraints of their individual budgets. Both states’ Medicaid programs are struggling to extend high-quality, accessible, timely, and effective care to needy...
March 18, 2005
PRS Briefs
Many states have established standards for renewable energy production and sales in the form of a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). An RPS specifies that a minimum percentage of the total energy a utility company sells must come from renewable sources such as solar power, wind power, or biomass....
March 4, 2005
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PRS Briefs
Developing the full potential of wind resources in Vermont holds great promise for helping to meet the state's energy needs. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that about 177,000 acres in Vermont may be suitable for wind energy development. While much of this land is on federal and state lands...
February 1, 2005
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PRS Briefs
Vermont Yankee is Vermont’s only nuclear facility and produces a significant amount of the electricity consumed within the state. Although the plant’s license is set to expire in March 2012, the plant faces growing pressures to meet its storage needs in the short-term. Yankee currently...
2003 - 2004
December 1, 2004
Annual Reports
The Nelson A. Rockefeller Center celebrates its twentieth anniversary; Campaign 2004 afforded students the opportunity to participate in the political process; Student and Public Programs, Civic Responsibility: Personal Action, Public Impact