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An Electronic Journal of the U.S. Department of State
Volume 8, Number 2, October 2003

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State and Local Government:
Adapting to Change

Contents 

FROM THE EDITORS

Responses to Change by State and Local Government:
Contemporary Experiments in the Laboratories of Democracy
Ellis Katz, professor emeritus of political science and fellow of the Center for the Study of Federalism at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, looks at the structural and historical context of how state and local governments in the United States have adapted to social and technological change in innovative ways that extend the scope of American democracy.

Using E-Government: Effects of the Digital Revolution
Sharon Crouch Steidel, information technology systems director for the Virginia House of Delegates, shows how e-government not only enhances efficiency and cost-effectiveness in the provision of services, but also creates a better informed and empowered citizenry and a more accountable government.

Public Safety in an Unsafe World
Donald L. Plusquellic, the current mayor of Akron, Ohio, and recently elected president of the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM), gives examples of how his city has addressed the issues of public safety.

In Partnership with the World:
A Profile of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA)
Text editor Deborah M.S. Brown interviews Dennis Taylor, the ICMA international director of programs on transparency and accountability in local government, about the ways cities in the United States are working across borders with their colleagues in other countries to share innovative strategies for solving problems.

Inter-jurisdictional Cooperation: A Case Study
Contributing editor Eric Green interviews Utah State Attorney General Mark L. Shurtleff on his role in the Utah Cybercrime Task Force (UCTF), which is part of a multi-jurisdictional state consortium of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies combating crime in cyberspace.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Further reading on changes in state and local government.

INTERNET SITES
Internet sites on changes in state and local government.



The opinions expressed on other Internet sites listed here do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. government.

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The Bureau of International Information Programs of the U.S. Department of State provides products and services that explain U.S. policies, society, and values to foreign audiences. The Bureau publishes five electronic journals that examine major issues facing the United States and the international community. The journals -- Economic Perspectives, Global Issues, Issues of Democracy, U.S. Foreign Policy Agenda and U.S. Society and Values -- provide statements of U.S. policy together with analysis, commentary, and background information in their thematic areas.
All journal editions appear in English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish language versions, and selected issues also appear in Arabic and Russian. English-language issues appear at approximately a one-month interval. Translated versions normally follow the English original by two to four weeks.
The opinions expressed in the journals do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. government. The U.S. Department of State assumes no responsibility for the content and continued accessibility of Internet sites linked to herein; such responsibility resides solely with the publishers of those sites. Articles may be reproduced and translated outside the United States unless the articles carry explicit copyright restrictions on such use. Potential users of credited photos are obliged to clear such use with said source.
Current or back issues of the journals can be found on the Bureau of International Information Programs' International Home Page on the World Wide Web at http://usinfo.state.gov/journals/journals.htm. They are available in several electronic formats to facilitate viewing on-line, transferring, downloading, and printing.
Comments are welcome at your local U.S. Embassy (attention Public Diplomacy Section) or at the editorial offices:
Editor, Issues of Democracy
Democracy and Human Rights -- IIP/T/DHR
U.S. Department of State
301 4th Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20547
United States of America
ejdemos@pd.state.gov.
Publisher
Judith Siegel
Managing Editor
Les High
Consulting Editor
Christian Larson
Text Editor
Deborah M.S. Brown
Contributing Editors
Alexandra Abboud
Estelle Baird
Mona Esquetini
Eric Green
John Jasik
Reference Specialist
Anita Green
Lorna Dodt
Art Director
Diane Woolverton
Graphics Assistant
Sylvia Scott
Editorial Board
George Clack
Judith Siegel
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