Rod McCullom
Science and technology journalist
Rod McCullom reports on the intersections of science, technology, biomedicine, violence, race and poverty for The Atlantic, UNDARK, Scientific American, The Nation and others.
PROJECTS
undark.org
How Indirect Violence Gets Under a Child’s Skin — and Into the Brain
Eight years ago, New York University sociologist Patrick Sharkey published a paper whose conclusions shook the worlds of criminology and adolescent psychology. Researchers had long known that children exposed to violence and crime had poorer measures of memory, attention, planning, and focus — the cognitive processes collectively known as executive function — than peers whose lives were violence-free. But what Sharkey found, using data on 6,000 Chicago homicides from 1994 to 2002, was that a ...
The Atlantic
Your Fingerprints Can Show If You've Done Drugs
The technology has titillated law-enforcement and corrections officials, and it may have useful applications for professionals working in drug treatment, elder-care centers, and other inpatient and outpatient facilities. However, the emergence of technologies like these has some observers feeling a bit uncomfortable about how, where, and to whom they are likely to be applied. More pointedly, the ability to glean detailed information about a person from a mere fingerprint—Do they smoke cigarettes? Use marijuana? Enjoy fatty foods? Drink alcohol?—raises a number of knotty questions.
undark.org
Creating Criminals: The Misguided Crackdown on HIV/AIDS
California has long been at the vanguard of public health initiatives that were once derided as wrongheaded but are now considered mainstream: auto emissions tests, clean air and anti-smoking laws, bike helmet regulations, medical marijuana. But there’s at least one policy the state has had great cause to regret.
California’s anti-HIV law was harsh: Exposing an unknowing person to the virus was made a felony, punishable by up to eight years in prison.
In the mid-1980s, the HIV/AIDS epidemic w...
The Atlantic
Threading a City With Gunfire Sensors Might Not Make It Any Safer
In late November, the city of Chicago surpassed 600 homicides—the overwhelming majority from handguns—for the second year in a row, and for only the third time since 2003, according to data reported by the Chicago Tribune. Sadly, in their efforts to address this seemingly intractable epidemic of gun violence, police officials seem to be placing unfounded faith in technology to solve the problem.
undark.org
Sensors and Software Listen for Gunfire in Chicago. Does it Make a Difference?
In late November, the city of Chicago surpassed 600 homicides — the overwhelming majority from handguns — for the second year in a row, and for only the third time since 2003, according to data reported by The Chicago Tribune.
The technology can detect gunfire, but there is no independent scientific research to demonstrate that it decreases gun violence.
That brings the total to more than 3,400 shootings across the city so far this year.
Sadly, in their efforts to address this seemingly intra...
undark.org
As Police Drones Proliferate, Regulation is Needed to Prevent Misuse
The Los Angeles Police Department faced stiff opposition Tuesday, after it approved a year-long trial to use drones as a crime-fighting tool in hostage situations, high-speed chases, and other law-enforcement functions. The decision comes after years of criticism from electronic privacy and civil rights advocates, who fear the technology lacks transparency and is ripe for abuse by authorities.
Drones are likely to become a bedrock part of policing well before anyone has a chance to study thei...
www.poz.com
Hurricanes Threaten HIV Progress in Puerto Rico
Although devastated by Hurricane Irma in early September and Hurricane Maria almost two weeks later, Puerto Rico has experienced some positive developments. About half—some 45 percent—of the approximately 3.4 million people now have access to drinking water, according to data released by the Puerto Rican government and reported by USA Today.
But most of the island remains in the dark. The power grid—which required significant investments before the storms, due to the island’s decade-long econ...
www.poz.com
Island Fever: Puerto Rico’s economic crisis threatens critical progress on HIV
A wave of extreme austerity measures are aggravating Puerto Rico’s already significant public health challenges, such as higher rates of diabetes, asthma, cancers, infant mortality and HIV. Residents also face intersecting socioeconomic inequities that are fueled by the island’s political and economic dependence on the United States
undark.org
Prisoners of Stigma: HIV Criminalization vs. Modern Science
Prisoners of Stigma: HIV Criminalization vs. Modern...
undark.org
Teaching Machines to Recognize Humanity's Dark Side
Teaching Machines to Recognize Humanity's Dark Side...
undark.org
Facial Recognition Technology Is Both Biased and Understudied
Facial Recognition Technology Is Both Biased and Un...
undark.org
Does Gun Violence Spread Like a Blood-Borne Pathogen?
Does Gun Violence Spread Like a Blood-Borne Pathoge...