http://www.governing.com/authors/rss/rss/?a=87483752 John Buntin is a GOVERNING staff writer. He covers health care, public safety and urban affairs. http://www.governing.com/topics/public-justice-safety/gov-social-media-transforms-chicago-policing.html After experiencing a homicide rate that earned it international attention last year, Chicago is upending the traditional style of policing and using social networks to rank people’s likelihood of killing and being killed. http://www.governing.com/columns/col-obamacare-architect-answers-health-care-questions.html On the eve of the implementation of one of Obamacare’s most significant provisions, Governing spoke to Harvard economist David Cutler. http://www.governing.com/columns/gov-putting-psychology-to-work-in-public-sector.html Three new books offer public officials insights into how people make judgments — and how institutions can make better decisions. http://www.governing.com/topics/politics/gov-remaking-republican-party.html The California Republican Party’s willingness to embrace unconventional leadership may provide insights into what the GOP will need to do to win elections nationally in the coming era of the white minority. http://www.governing.com/topics/technology/gov-local-government-run-like-silicon-valley.html Cities are contracting with Code for America -- what some call “the Peace Corps for geeks” -- in an effort to seed Silicon Valley virtues in local government. http://www.governing.com/topics/mgmt/gov-power-and-danger-of-setting-extreme-goals.html Extreme goals are ambitious and attention grabbing. They also often seem impossible -- and that can be a problem. http://www.governing.com/topics/public-justice-safety/gov-milwaukee-police-911-facelift.html Milwaukee has overhauled how it responds to serious crimes -- but not without criticism. Are the risks of challenging policing's status quo worth the rewards? http://www.governing.com/topics/public-justice-safety/chief-cathy-lanier-changes-policing.html The police chief's rejection of zero-tolerance policing that’s driven urban crime fighting for a generation may change the future of public safety in America. http://www.governing.com/topics/health-human-services/gov-universal-health-care-without-individual-mandate.html President Barack Obama and the 26 states trying to overturn his federal health reform law say no, but some states have some real-world experience that could answer that question. http://www.governing.com/topics/politics/gov-john-kitzhaber-three-time-governor-turning-oregons-tide.html John Kitzhaber once called Oregon “ungovernable.” Now, he’s forging bipartisan alliances that are making it one of the best-governed states in the nation. http://www.governing.com/topics/public-justice-safety/gov-ex-police-chief-william-bratton-discusses-government-collaboration.html In Collaborate or Perish!, William Bratton and Harvard Kennedy School senior researcher Zachary Tumin tell governments how they can work together more often and more effectively. http://www.governing.com/topics/health-human-services/col-connecticut-moves-away-from-medicaid-managed-care.html Connecticut’s Rod Bremby is finding novel ways to connect health and human services. http://www.governing.com/topics/public-justice-safety/gov-how-game-theory-is-reinventing-crime-fighting.html Elected officials across the nation from both political parties have begun to examine ways to replace a tough corrections policy with a smart one. http://www.governing.com/topics/health-human-services/gov-col-managing-care-without-managed-care.html North Carolina is achieving big savings with a very different approach. http://www.governing.com/topics/health-human-services/gov-col-doctor-fix-for-health-care-delivery.html Commonwealth Care Alliance CEO Bob Master has a plan to change health-care delivery — and it doesn’t involve Medicaid managed care.