Author Archive

Eric Jaffe

Digital Government

How the Computer Revolution Changed US Cities

After 1980, metros with an “abstract” labor base thrived, while those without one didn’t.

Digital Government

How Twitter Could Help Police Departments Predict Crime

Public Twitter data improved the predictions in metropolitan Chicago compared to historical comparisons, study finds.

Emerging Tech

How Driverless Cars Could Save the Government Lots and Lots of Money

In an autonomous world, many long-delayed improvements will be rendered obsolete.

Emerging Tech

Meet the Next-Generation Bus

Imagine: instead of stopping for gas, a bus that could recharge while at a red light.

Emerging Tech

Old Payphones as Electric Car Charging Stations?

New York City official calls it 'a great idea we should absolutely entertain.'

Emerging Tech

The Billion-Dollar Technology That May or May Not Prevent the Next Big Train Crash

Positive Train Control is coming to a railroad near you — but perhaps not as soon as the government wants.

Digital Government

This Month's Other Crucial Privacy Debate: The Rocky Future of Arrestee DNA Collection

The ruling is poised to have broad legal implications, since 28 states have a similar law that permits DNA collection upon arrest.

Digital Government

Why We Shouldn't Rely on Smart Growth Incentives to Fix Sprawl

Study shows smart growth is encouraged by the incentives rather than coerced by new laws.

Digital Government

What's Your City Watching on YouTube?

The Trends Map displays viewing and sharing behavior among registered users on the YouTube Dashboard within the past 12-to-24 hours.

Emerging Tech

Why Driverless Cars Are 'Probably' Legal

A recent legal paper makes the case that existing laws don't prohibit automated vehicles.

Modernization

Seeing the train as a 'mobile office'

A new report argues that travel by train could be the most productive.

Emerging Tech

Surveillance cameras could make us better people

A Dutch research team hopes that surveillance cameras could reverse the "bystander effect."