- Email: [email protected]
United States Department of Justice home page
308
Reviews
Marcy M. Allen Western Illinois University, Leslie F. Malpass Library, One University Circle, Macomb, IL 61455-1367, USA E-mail address: [email protected]. 1 September 2004 doi:10.1016/j.giq.2004.09.011
United States Department of Justice home page Visited April 6, 2004. Administered by the U. S. Department of Justice, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20530-0001. http://www.usdoj.gov. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) encompasses many aspects of law enforcement including the FBI, the ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. However, a visit to the DOJ’s homepage only highlights a narrow section of the agency’s focus. The homepage centers on the war on terror, with links to http://www.lifeandliberty.gov (for information about the implementation of the Patriot Act), terrorist attack information, and a link to the Department of Homeland Security with today’s threat level displayed prominently in the center of the page. The left margin displays what’s new, about DOJ, publications and documents, employment, FOIA, doing business with the DOJ, grants, fugitives and missing persons, other federal sites, archives, and links for kids. The right side of the page contains information for bIndividuals and CommunitiesQ with links to topics such as disabilities, domestic violence, fraud, and youth violence. Most librarians or researchers will likely be looking for DOJ publications. The major publications are all available from the Publications link. This is helpful, especially in light of the fact that many titles are no longer sent to depositories in print. The major disadvantage to the link section is that the exact title or the issuing subagency must be known to locate the document, it is not always apparent where to click to locate a document. In addition to the Publications and Documents section, the site displays a search feature. Random searches display mixed results. For example, typing in either bgun checksQ or bbackground firearm checksQ (no quotes) did not bring the publication Presale Handgun Checks until the fifth and second pages, respectively. Fortunately, typing in the exact title with quotes will produce the requested document, i.e., bProsecutors in State Courts.Q The search section has an extensive help section to focus and structure searches when the desired results are not found. Overall, it would be easier to go directly to the subagency page to locate information rather than to try to find it via the search page. The site appears to be current and frequently updated. Although the information available at first glance is limited, there is a link to the alphabetical list of components that goes directly to the subagency Web sites. One really excellent feature of the site is the history section
Reviews
309
highlighting many documents relating to the history of law enforcement and the agency. Of particular notice is the link to the biographies of all the attorney generals and famous cases of the FBI. Overall, the organization could be clearer, especially in relation to locating information about the subagencies. The information available directly from the homepage is limited. Often it is necessary to follow links into the site to locate needed information. The site is useful to people wanting to know the latest developments on the war on terror or looking for general information on the DOJ but should consider going directly to the subagency pages for more detailed information. Claudene Sproles Government Documents Reference Librarian, University of Louisville, William F. Ekstrom Library, 3201 South Third Street, Louisville, KY 40292, USA E-mail address: [email protected]. Fax: +1 502 85 8736. 4 April 2004 doi:10.1016/j.giq.2004.06.001
Who, What, and Where of America: Understanding the Census Results by Riche, Martha Fransworth and Gaquin, Deirdre A. Lanham, MD: Bernan Press 2003. xxxvi, 1123, 127 pp. $95.00 (cloth), ISBN 0-89059-763-4. Librarians and researchers who have used Bernan’s reference books will note a great similarity in format between the new title Who, What, and Where of America and similar works such as City and County Extra. Bernan has created this new title to furnish detailed 2000 decennial census information from both the short and long census forms for every state, county, metropolitan area, and city with a population of 25,000 or greater. The layout consists of a brief introduction, an essay, the tables, and appendices. The substance of the work is statistical data for each geographical area with Part A providing age, ethnicity, and household structure; Part B education, labor force, and income; and Part C migration, housing, and transportation. Preceding each section, there are several colored maps and a brief introduction that illustrate and summarize the important themes of the data. In addition, there is a seven-page essay titled bHighlightsQ that makes the case that the 2000 census is not simply another of a series of national snapshots but describes fundamental demographic changes. There are 86 pages of different rankings with a table of contents to facilitate browsing. Six appendices furnish different types of supplemental information: geographic codes and concepts; an alphabetical listing of Metropolitan Statistical Areas and their components including population data; Metropolitan Statistical Areas and their
Reviews
Marcy M. Allen Western Illinois University, Leslie F. Malpass Library, One University Circle, Macomb, IL 61455-1367, USA E-mail address: [email protected]. 1 September 2004 doi:10.1016/j.giq.2004.09.011
United States Department of Justice home page Visited April 6, 2004. Administered by the U. S. Department of Justice, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20530-0001. http://www.usdoj.gov. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) encompasses many aspects of law enforcement including the FBI, the ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. However, a visit to the DOJ’s homepage only highlights a narrow section of the agency’s focus. The homepage centers on the war on terror, with links to http://www.lifeandliberty.gov (for information about the implementation of the Patriot Act), terrorist attack information, and a link to the Department of Homeland Security with today’s threat level displayed prominently in the center of the page. The left margin displays what’s new, about DOJ, publications and documents, employment, FOIA, doing business with the DOJ, grants, fugitives and missing persons, other federal sites, archives, and links for kids. The right side of the page contains information for bIndividuals and CommunitiesQ with links to topics such as disabilities, domestic violence, fraud, and youth violence. Most librarians or researchers will likely be looking for DOJ publications. The major publications are all available from the Publications link. This is helpful, especially in light of the fact that many titles are no longer sent to depositories in print. The major disadvantage to the link section is that the exact title or the issuing subagency must be known to locate the document, it is not always apparent where to click to locate a document. In addition to the Publications and Documents section, the site displays a search feature. Random searches display mixed results. For example, typing in either bgun checksQ or bbackground firearm checksQ (no quotes) did not bring the publication Presale Handgun Checks until the fifth and second pages, respectively. Fortunately, typing in the exact title with quotes will produce the requested document, i.e., bProsecutors in State Courts.Q The search section has an extensive help section to focus and structure searches when the desired results are not found. Overall, it would be easier to go directly to the subagency page to locate information rather than to try to find it via the search page. The site appears to be current and frequently updated. Although the information available at first glance is limited, there is a link to the alphabetical list of components that goes directly to the subagency Web sites. One really excellent feature of the site is the history section
Reviews
309
highlighting many documents relating to the history of law enforcement and the agency. Of particular notice is the link to the biographies of all the attorney generals and famous cases of the FBI. Overall, the organization could be clearer, especially in relation to locating information about the subagencies. The information available directly from the homepage is limited. Often it is necessary to follow links into the site to locate needed information. The site is useful to people wanting to know the latest developments on the war on terror or looking for general information on the DOJ but should consider going directly to the subagency pages for more detailed information. Claudene Sproles Government Documents Reference Librarian, University of Louisville, William F. Ekstrom Library, 3201 South Third Street, Louisville, KY 40292, USA E-mail address: [email protected]. Fax: +1 502 85 8736. 4 April 2004 doi:10.1016/j.giq.2004.06.001
Who, What, and Where of America: Understanding the Census Results by Riche, Martha Fransworth and Gaquin, Deirdre A. Lanham, MD: Bernan Press 2003. xxxvi, 1123, 127 pp. $95.00 (cloth), ISBN 0-89059-763-4. Librarians and researchers who have used Bernan’s reference books will note a great similarity in format between the new title Who, What, and Where of America and similar works such as City and County Extra. Bernan has created this new title to furnish detailed 2000 decennial census information from both the short and long census forms for every state, county, metropolitan area, and city with a population of 25,000 or greater. The layout consists of a brief introduction, an essay, the tables, and appendices. The substance of the work is statistical data for each geographical area with Part A providing age, ethnicity, and household structure; Part B education, labor force, and income; and Part C migration, housing, and transportation. Preceding each section, there are several colored maps and a brief introduction that illustrate and summarize the important themes of the data. In addition, there is a seven-page essay titled bHighlightsQ that makes the case that the 2000 census is not simply another of a series of national snapshots but describes fundamental demographic changes. There are 86 pages of different rankings with a table of contents to facilitate browsing. Six appendices furnish different types of supplemental information: geographic codes and concepts; an alphabetical listing of Metropolitan Statistical Areas and their components including population data; Metropolitan Statistical Areas and their