Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Caribbean Studies Program

Since 1986, The University of Southern Mississippi has offered a wide variety of study abroad courses in Jamaica. This winter, students can earn four hours of undergraduate or graduate credit in one of 11 courses across a variety of disciplines. From December 29, 2008 through January 13, 2009, students will live and learn in the beautiful resort town of Ocho Rios. Students are housed at Turtle Beach Towers, an ocean-front condominium resort. Below is a list of courses that will be offered on this years Caribbean Studies program:

Art 492/680- Art Studio in Jamaica
Biology 404/504- Caribbean Marine Biology
Chemistry 332- Natural Products Chemistry in the Caribbean
Criminal Justice 489/589- Criminal Justice in the Caribbean
English 496/596- Literature in the Caribbean
Human Performance and Recreation 411/511- Adapted Recreation Techniques in Jamaica
Nursing 489- Health Care Delivery Systems
Nutrition 492/692- Food, Nutrition and Culture in Jamaica
Public Health 492/792- Public Health in Jamaica
Social Work 495/695- Social Development and Social Welfare in Jamaica
Sociology 489/589- Sociology in Jamaica

The cost of this program is $3,099 for undergraduate credit and $3,299 for graduate credit. This price includes round-trip airfare from New Orleans, Atlanta, Dallas or Minneapolis; tuition; fees; lodging; ground transportation; field trips and some social activities. Students are responsible for food and personal expenses.

Students may apply for financial aid if they meet federal requirements for a guaranteed student loan. Non-Southern Miss students should contact the Office of Financial Aid at the school in which they are currently enrolled and seeking their degree. Financial aid agreements between Southern Miss and other schools are available, if requested. For information or assistance with this program contact Frances Sudduth in the Office of International Programs at 601.266.4344.

Spend New Year’s in the Caribbean and take part in a cultural and academic immersion that we hope you’ll count among your best learning experiences. For more information visit our website at
www.usm.edu/ip or e-mail us at studyabroad@usm.edu.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ANNOUNCES GRANTS TO ENHANCE EFFORTS TO FIGHT HUMAN TRAFFICKING

ATLANTA – Associate Attorney General Kevin J. O’Connor today announced almost $10 million in additional funding to supplement existing task forces and to expand the number of task forces working with community-based organizations to combat human trafficking. The Associate Attorney General made the announcement at the 2008 National Conference on Human Trafficking, where more than 350 representatives from federal, state, and local organizations gathered to discuss methods of investigating human trafficking and servitude and how best to provide services to trafficking victims.

“Human Trafficking is a serious
crime and deserves the focused attention of law enforcement and victim service providers,” said Associate Attorney General O’Connor. “The task forces receiving funding today are made up of both of these important elements. We will continue to use all of the resources at our disposal to make sure that traffickers are convicted and that victims receive the assistance they need to recover.”

Since 2002, the Department has partnered with state and local
law enforcement, and victim service organizations to convict 342 traffickers and assist 1,300 victims from 80 countries. In 2007 alone, the Department opened 154 new trafficking investigations.
Of the funds announced today, more than $4.1 million will go to task forces in: Washington, D.C.; Hawaii; Boston, Mass.; Suffolk County, N.Y.; New Jersey; Nassau County, N.Y.; San Jose, Calif.; Saint Paul, Minn.; Lee County, Fla.; Milwaukee, Wis.; Multnomah County, Ore. Three new task forces will be established in Westminster, Calif.; Homestead, Fla; and Pitt County, N.C. To date, the Department has provided more than $70 million in funding to these task forces.

In addition, the following victim service organizations have received funding to work with the task forces:

Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance
$230,000
International Rescue Committee, Miami, Fla.
$460,000
North Carolina Coalition Against Sexual Assault
$460,000
Salvation
Army, Orange County, Calif.
$460,000
Bilateral Safety Corridor
San Diego, Calif.
$230,000
YMCA of Greater Houston Area
Houston, Texas
$230,000
Heartland Alliance for Human Needs
Chicago, Ill. area
$230,000
Safe Horizon, Inc.
New York City and Nassau County, N.Y. areas
$230,000
Salvation
Army Hawaiian and Pacific Island Division
$230,000
Justice Resource Institute, Inc.
Massachusetts
$200,000
Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (CAST)
Los Angeles, Calif.
$230,000
Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach
$230,000
International Rescue Committee
Phoenix, Ariz.
$230,000
International Institute of Metropolitan St. Louis
St. Louis, Mo.
$230,000
Tapestri, Inc.
Atlanta, Ga.
$230,000
Catholic Charities of Venice, Inc.
Lee County, Fla.
$230,000
Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pa.
$230,000
Catholic Charities Oregon
$299,999
Salvation
Army Alaska
$230,000
Refugees Services of Texas
$230,000
Northeastern University
$299,999
The Department also announced more than $400,000 to fund two studies conducted by Abt Associates, Inc. and San Diego State University Research Foundation. The studies will assess criminal justice strategies and collaborative programs across the country and internationally that focus on reducing the demand for commercial sex.

The Office of
Justice Programs (OJP) provides federal leadership in developing the nation's capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice and assist victims. More information about OJP’s work on human trafficking can be found at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov. More information about the efforts of the Civil Rights Division to combat human trafficking can be found at http://www.usdoj.gov/whatwedo/whatwedo_ctip.html.

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

DEPARTMENTS OF JUSTICE AND TREASURY ADDRESS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN INDIAN COUNTRY

The United States Departments of Justice and Treasury today announced a first-time partnership in strengthening and fostering economic development in Native American communities. The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund is partnering with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Community Capacity Development Office (CCDO) to launch an Indian Economic Development Initiative. The Initiative will increase access to financing for existing businesses; create new businesses, increase housing opportunities; and strengthen legal infrastructure.

“This partnership is an excellent collaboration,” said Donna Gambrell, the CDFI Fund’s Director. “It is through our training programs that the CDFI Fund can play a pivotal role in CCDO’s initiative in Native Communities. I’m very excited about this opportunity to leverage federal funds for such a worthwhile and crucial program. By combining our two initiatives, we have the potential to significantly change some of our nation’s most challenged communities.”

The economic development projects will take place in the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Indian Community in Cass Lake,
Minnesota, and Keweenaw Bay Indian Community of Baraga, Michigan. The sites will participate in community planning, commercial code development and business development. CCDO activities dovetail the CDFI Fund resources provided to Native organizations. CDFI technical assistance focuses on creating new Native CDFIs and strengthening the operational capacity of existing ones, including asset development activities for native individuals and families.

Both sites currently take part in CCDO’s Weed and Seed Program which aims to prevent, control, and reduce violent crime, drug abuse, and
gang activity in high-crime communities across the United States. The Program uses a two-pronged approach – first, law enforcement agencies and prosecutors cooperate in ‘weeding out’ violent criminals and drug abusers; and second, public agencies and community-based private organizations collaborate to ‘seed’ much-needed human services, such as prevention, intervention, treatment, and neighborhood restoration programs.

“The Community Capacity Development Office is committed to fostering economic development as a means of improving the safety and health of tribal communities and all communities in which we work” said Director Dennis Greenhouse. “The ultimate outcomes of economic development in these native communities will be stronger tribal governments and more wealth in depressed communities."

The CDFI Fund’s Native Initiatives works to increase access to credit, capital, and financial services in communities by creating and expanding CDFIs primarily serving Native Communities. This is achieved by funding programs and providing a series of training programs to organizations working in Native areas. The CDFI Fund’s Native Initiatives also makes financial assistance awards to certified Native CDFIs and provides grants to Native organizations to help them build the capacity to become a certified Native CDFI. More information can be found at http://www.cdfifund.gov.