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Minnesota IssueWatch presents brief summaries, called scans, of important trends or emerging issues reported in journals, newspapers and other sources. 

January/February 1997 Contents

Criminal justice 
Judges and cities reviving public humiliation as crime-fighting tool
Economic development 
Businesses mostly content with Minnesota business climate
Education 
Four states choosing a balance of objective and subjective student testing 
Some communities begin integrating high schools and community colleges 
Higher educational institutions begin moderating price increases 
Stock market bringing universities record returns but higher risk 
Students increasingly trying to make ends meet with credit card debt 
Environment
 • Business, environmental groups push sustainable development in California 
Government administration 
North and South Dakotas consider collaborating on some state functions  
Federal government plans to make nearly all payments electronically by 1999 
Ohio considers decentralizing state offices 
Health care 
Diversity among physicians may promote care of under-served groups 
Massachusetts provides consumers with physicians' malpractice histories 
States' Medicaid trends echo private sector shift toward managed care
Social services 
Texas first state to take bids for private welfare management
"Second chance" homes meet new welfare requirement for teen mothers
Number of alliances growing between nonprofit organizations, corporations  
Transportation 
Boston area covering freeways as part of movement to improve neighborhoods 
L.A. project expands highway management to include city streets
Overall Trends
American eating habits deteriorating
Employers stressing nonmonetary means to attract, motivate workers

Information included does not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Minnesota Planning or the state of Minnesota.