The federal government has a responsibility to effectively manage taxpayer dollars, both by protecting against waste, fraud, and abuse and by investing federal resources wisely to deliver results on behalf of the public. Yet because of its complexity, the federal grantmaking process often excludes smaller jurisdictions and organizations. Instead, funding tends to concentrate among applicants who have the capacity and resources to navigate federal requirements. To address this problem, the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) adopted a microgrant funding strategy that made federal public safety investments accessible to a wider array of recipients. Through this strategy, OJP awarded funding to intermediary organizations, which in turn partnered with the office to deliver microgrants and capacity-building assistance to jurisdictions and organizations that had rarely received federal support. By working in close coordination with the intermediaries, OJP provided greater support to rural law enforcement agencies, expanding access to federal resources for violence reduction and policing equipment in some of the nation’s most geographically isolated areas. Under one such program, approximately 72% of microgrants went to police departments that primarily serve rural non-metropolitan counties, compared to 44% of direct grants. In addition, intermediaries also expanded access to OJP resources among small community-based organizations, which often face steep barriers to federal grants but can be particularly well-positioned to support underserved communities disproportionately affected by crime and victimization. Roughly 90% of recipients of a community violence intervention microgrant had not previously received federal grant funding.

The National Center for State Courts reviewed more than a dozen recent “state of the judiciary” messages delivered by state chief justices. NCSC found commonalities in these remarks: courts are operating in an increasingly complex, high-pressure environment, yet remain committed to fairness, accessibility, and the rule of law. Many chief justices are sounding a sustained warning about mounting pressures on judicial independence. Many describe a climate in which courts are facing heightened criticism, politicization, and, in some instances, direct hostility. Caseload pressures remain a persistent challenge. Courts are continuing to manage large volumes of cases while striving to reduce backlogs and improve timeliness. Another area of strong consensus is the value of treatment courts and other problem-solving approaches. Chief justices consistently point to these programs as among the most effective tools for addressing underlying issues such as substance use and mental health disorders. Technology modernization is also front and center in judicial priorities.

The U.S. confines nearly 2 million people in prisons, jails, and detention centers; however, most people in the corrections system are on community supervision, either under probation (3 million) or parole (536,000). This paper presents updated data for all 50 states and D.C. on federal and state prisons, local jails, Indian country jails, probation, parole, youth confinement, and involuntary commitment. Key findings include that states vary in the use of supervision versus incarceration. For example, among the 50 states and D.C., Florida has, on average, about 1,493 per 100,000 residents in confinement or community supervision compared to Georgia, which has, on average 3,272 per 100,000. In nearly every state, more than half of individuals are on community supervision; in 20 states, more than two-thirds are on probation or parole rather than incarceration. The data suggest that states’ reliance on different systems of punishment varies widely.

Many state agencies and college systems are engaged in initiatives to expand the opportunities for individuals to earn college credit for prior learning. Awarding college credit for industry credentials, military training, and other types of prior learning can establish on-ramps into college and build on the knowledge and skills that individuals bring with them. In 2021, the Ohio Department of Higher Education established a new process to ensure that students could receive college credit for industry credentials at public colleges across the state. Key findings from this study include that outreach on credit for prior learning is primarily targeted at individuals who are already enrolling in college, and the evidence confirms that it may be best to focus on these individuals. Researchers estimated that only one in four individuals with an industry credential might be likely to enroll in college. Researchers also found that individuals with industry credentials did not view college credit opportunities as a factor that would change their views on college enrollment. Lastly, the Ohio Department of Higher Education created websites that allow individuals to search for credit for prior learning opportunities and college staff to search for information on the state's initiatives.

Recently, artificial intelligence (AI) companion chatbots have surged in popularity among teens, with media coverage highlighting how people describe their interactions with chatbots as emotionally meaningful—sometimes even romantic. Platforms such as Nomi, Replika, and Character.AI are portrayed as offering on-demand conversations with highly responsive virtual characters. Conversational AI is also reported to reduce loneliness, provide a safe space for self-expression, and offer nonjudgmental support during stress. While these interactions are entertaining, they also risk overuse that can potentially disrupt offline daily life. This paper examines how adolescents describe reliance on AI companions and explores pathways to disengagement. Researchers found that teens often begin using chatbots for support or creative play, but these activities can deepen into strong attachments marked by conflict, withdrawal, tolerance, relapse, and mood regulation. Teens reported consequences include sleep loss, academic decline, and strained real-world connections. Disengagement commonly arises when teens recognize harm, re-engage with offline life, or encounter restrictive platform changes. Researchers highlight specific risks of character-based companion chatbots based on teens’ perspectives and introduce a design framework for guidance for safer systems and setting directions for future teen-centered research.

Between 1850 and 1910, the share of young Americans living in towns with high schools increased from 17% to 46%—the fastest expansion of school access in U.S. history. Using new data on every high school in the United States, researchers show that this expansion transformed economic opportunities for many young adults but widened class and racial inequalities. Researchers find sharp increases in school attendance rates for high school-aged children in towns that opened a high school relative to children in nearby towns without one. Linking children to adult outcomes, researchers show that high schools increased women's labor force participation and job quality, while reducing the probability of early marriage and childbearing. Increased access to high school accounts for a third of the increase in women's labor force participation between 1870 and 1930. High schools had the largest effects on children from already-wealthy families, and did not, on average, benefit black children. While the high school movement substantially narrowed gender gaps in labor market outcomes, it also widened existing race- and class-based disparities.

The nation turns 250 this year, and Americans’ median age — the age at which half of the population is younger, and half is older — continues to rise, climbing from 39.2 in 2024 to 39.4 in 2025. One striking shift is that while women continued to outnumber men at older ages, the gap between the sexes narrowed in the past 25 years. In 2001, there were 70.6 males for every 100 females age 65 and older. By 2025, the ratio had increased substantially to 81.6. The gap among those aged 80 and older narrowed even more dramatically — from 50.9 males per 100 females in 2001 to 68.3 in 2025. Mortality rates for older men have been decreasing faster than for women, and, as a result, men's share of the older population has increased. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the age-adjusted death rate for males aged 65 and older was 8,285 per 100,000 people in 1970. By 2022, it had dropped to 5,205.7, a decline of 3,079 deaths per 100,000. Female mortality also dropped, but not as rapidly. The death rate for females age 65 and older was 5,621 per 100,000 people in 1970 and 3,918 in 2022, a decline of 1,703 deaths per 100,000.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) operates the nation’s largest health care system through its Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and serves about 9 million veterans annually. The VA’s Veterans Community Care Program allows eligible veterans to receive care from private sector community providers in certain circumstances. The number of veterans who received community care increased from about 1.1 million in 2014 to about 3.1 million in 2024. Behavioral health services—including services for mental health and substance use conditions—are among those that eligible veterans can receive in the community. The U.S. Government Accountability Office found that veterans received over 600,000 referrals to obtain behavioral health services from community providers during Fiscal Years 2021 through 2024. Over half of these referrals were for outpatient psychotherapy care. The VA spent $4.29 billion on the community care veterans obtained through referrals, and over two-thirds of the VA’s spending was associated with inpatient care, including residential treatment. The GAO also found that about 4 % of behavioral health referrals (over 25,000 referrals) and 43% of spending (about $1.9 billion) were associated with residential substance use treatment in the community during Fiscal Years 2021 through 2024.

Over the last several decades, a large body of research has shown that household wealth — assets minus debt — is critical to the long-term financial security, agency, and economic mobility of American families. Home equity has long been the largest source of wealth for U.S. households. Yet, today, more than a third (roughly 44 million) U.S. households are renters, holding less than 3% of the median wealth of homeowners. In recent decades, philanthropic, nonprofit, public, and private sector leaders have worked to expand wealth-building opportunities for low- and middle-income households, including renters. These stakeholders have tested, implemented, and refined approaches that help families access tailored financial advice, appropriate products and services, affordable credit, and incentivized saving vehicles. They have also invested in “supply side” strategies that make investment in appreciating assets more accessible to lower-wealth individuals and families — including shared ownership of housing, businesses, and, more recently, commercial real estate. These and other innovations comprise a growing menu of wealth-building strategies that are increasing American households’ capacity to save, invest, and grow their wealth.

Physical activity has many health benefits, including reducing blood pressure and the risk of chronic diseases and improving sleep. Aerobic physical activity, which can improve heart and lung fitness, and muscle-strengthening activities are key parts of the federal physical activity guidelines. This analysis uses the 2024 National Health Interview Survey to describe the percentage of adults who met federal guidelines for aerobic physical activity during leisure time, by selected sociodemographic characteristics. Key findings include that in 2024, 47.2% of adults age 18 and older met the federal guidelines for aerobic physical activity, with men being more likely to meet the guidelines (52.3%) than women (42.4%). The prevalence of meeting the federal guidelines for aerobic physical activity increased with increasing education level. Adults living in the West were more likely to meet the federal guidelines for aerobic physical activity compared with those in other regions. Aerobic physical activity was higher among adults without disabilities (49.8%), those with healthy weight (54.8%), and those with excellent or very good health (57.8%).

Diagnostic error, including delayed diagnosis, is a significant threat to patient safety. While much research has focused on clinical and system-level contributors to diagnostic delay, less is known about patient perspectives, particularly regarding the emotional and psychological impacts. The research team conducted in-depth, narrative interviews with 23 patients who self-reported experiencing a delayed diagnosis in one of five medical conditions: preeclampsia, myocardial infarction, ankylosing spondylitis, sepsis, and lung cancer. Participants were recruited via online patient communities and advocacy organizations. Interviews explored diagnostic trajectories, barriers to timely diagnosis, and the emotional, financial, and physical impacts of delay. Transcripts were thematically coded and analyzed to identify key themes. Patients described diverse diagnostic journeys, but the most salient theme involved the profound emotional impact of delayed diagnosis. Three major themes emerged: 1) nearly all participants reported feeling dismissed or not taken seriously by medical professionals, leading to frustration, anger, and self-doubt; 2) receiving a diagnosis brought relief and validation, affirming patients' experiences and enabling more informed decision-making; and 3) despite eventual validation, many patients experienced long-term emotional consequences of delayed diagnosis, most notably mistrust in the healthcare system and reluctance to seek future care. These impacts were observed across both acute and chronic conditions and among patients of different ages and backgrounds. Efforts to address diagnostic safety should incorporate patient perspectives to foster more empathetic and trustworthy healthcare systems.