title: A new Geographic Profiling Suspect Mapping And Ranking Technique for crime investigations: GP-SMART

authors: Curtis-Ham, Sophie

abstract: This study developed and tested a new geographic profiling method for automating suspect prioritisation in crime investigations. The Geographic Profiling Suspect Mapping And Ranking Technique (GP-SMART) maps suspects' activity locations available in police records—such as home addresses, family members' home addresses, prior offence locations, locations of non-crime incidents, and other contacts with police—and ranks suspects based on both the proximity and nature of these locations, relative to an input crime. In accuracy tests using solved burglary, robbery and extra-familial sex offence cases in New Zealand (n = 4511), GP-SMART ranked the offender at or near the top of the suspect list at rates greatly exceeding chance. Highlighting the benefit of its novel inclusion and differentiation of many different types of activity location, GP-SMART also outperformed baseline methods—approximating existing algorithms—that ranked suspects using only the proximity of their activity locations, or home addresses, to the input crime.

text: A new Geographic Profiling Suspect Mapping And Ranking Technique for crime investigations: GP-SMART This study developed and tested a new geographic profiling method for automating suspect prioritisation in crime investigations. The Geographic Profiling Suspect Mapping And Ranking Technique (GP-SMART) maps suspects' activity locations available in police records—such as home addresses, family members' home addresses, prior offence locations, locations of non-crime incidents, and other contacts with police—and ranks suspects based on both the proximity and nature of these locations, relative to an input crime. In accuracy tests using solved burglary, robbery and extra-familial sex offence cases in New Zealand (n = 4511), GP-SMART ranked the offender at or near the top of the suspect list at rates greatly exceeding chance. Highlighting the benefit of its novel inclusion and differentiation of many different types of activity location, GP-SMART also outperformed baseline methods—approximating existing algorithms—that ranked suspects using only the proximity of their activity locations, or home addresses, to the input crime.

year: 2022

title: Livestock traceability in New Zealand: Using blockchain to address current challenges in the industry

authors: Deenamulle Kankanamge, Deepika Priyadarshani

subjects: Livestock traceability

abstract: The existing livestock traceability system in New Zealand hardly achieves the general goals of a traceability system such as managing disease outbreaks and tracking animal-based products from farm to fork. Further, users often complain that the New Zealand system is difficult to use. To overcome such issues in other parts of the world, blockchain-based traceability systems have been suggested. However, there is little research in the New Zealand context. This study aims to fill that gap by identifying challenges in the existing livestock traceability system in New Zealand, then evaluating if blockchain technology can address those challenges. The applicability of a blockchain-based livestock traceability system to New Zealand is discussed.
Existing literature is used to understand the potential use of blockchain technology to address livestock traceability challenges relating to the themes of data management, relationships (among supply chain partners), transparency, compliance, and visibility. To understand the New Zealand context, participants in the New Zealand livestock supply chain are interviewed. Interview data is analysed using the themes listed above. Challenges gathered from the interviews are then compared with the challenges and solutions found in literature to evaluate if a blockchain-based traceability system would suit the New Zealand context.
The results suggest that a blockchain-based traceability system supported by the Internet of Things (IoT) and smart contracts can dramatically improve the livestock traceability system in New Zealand by addressing many of the country’s traceability challenges. However, implementing such a system could initially involve a significant cost and necessitate changes to existing organisational practices. Further, workarounds should be sought for implementation barriers such as low network connectivity in rural New Zealand. Although expensive to implement, eventually, a blockchain-based traceability system could help industry manage otherwise expensive occurrences, such as food recalls, with less effort. Therefore, spending resources to implement a blockchain-based traceability system today can be a worthwhile investment for the future.

text: Livestock traceability in New Zealand: Using blockchain to address current challenges in the industry The existing livestock traceability system in New Zealand hardly achieves the general goals of a traceability system such as managing disease outbreaks and tracking animal-based products from farm to fork. Further, users often complain that the New Zealand system is difficult to use. To overcome such issues in other parts of the world, blockchain-based traceability systems have been suggested. However, there is little research in the New Zealand context. This study aims to fill that gap by identifying challenges in the existing livestock traceability system in New Zealand, then evaluating if blockchain technology can address those challenges. The applicability of a blockchain-based livestock traceability system to New Zealand is discussed.
Existing literature is used to understand the potential use of blockchain technology to address livestock traceability challenges relating to the themes of data management, relationships (among supply chain partners), transparency, compliance, and visibility. To understand the New Zealand context, participants in the New Zealand livestock supply chain are interviewed. Interview data is analysed using the themes listed above. Challenges gathered from the interviews are then compared with the challenges and solutions found in literature to evaluate if a blockchain-based traceability system would suit the New Zealand context.
The results suggest that a blockchain-based traceability system supported by the Internet of Things (IoT) and smart contracts can dramatically improve the livestock traceability system in New Zealand by addressing many of the country’s traceability challenges. However, implementing such a system could initially involve a significant cost and necessitate changes to existing organisational practices. Further, workarounds should be sought for implementation barriers such as low network connectivity in rural New Zealand. Although expensive to implement, eventually, a blockchain-based traceability system could help industry manage otherwise expensive occurrences, such as food recalls, with less effort. Therefore, spending resources to implement a blockchain-based traceability system today can be a worthwhile investment for the future.

year: 2022

title: Tukua Kia Rere! Maori Adult Students Succeeding at University

authors: Williams, Daphne Christina (Tina)

subjects: Maori students in higher education

abstract: A considerable amount of research has focussed on Māori underachievement in mainstream education. There is, however, much less research that celebrates Māori academic success. Even less has been written about the experiences of adult Māori students who return to study long after leaving school and go on to become academically successful in higher education. This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge regarding Māori academic success at university. It sought to explore the experiences of sixteen adult Māori students who entered university via special admission and went on to attain undergraduate degrees. The study examined the challenges that these individual’s experienced on their way to becoming academically successful and identified the main factors that helped them to achieve educational success. An overarching Kaupapa Māori theoretical framework was employed in this study. A qualitative research methodology was implemented and Kaupapa Māori research principles informed both the research processes and the interpretation of research outcomes. The findings suggest four major factors contributed to the success of the participants in this study: a strong determination to succeed (whāia te iti kahurangi), the extended family (whānau), strong social support networks with peers and faculty (whakawhanaungatanga) and Te Ao Māori (the Māori World). However, some of these same factors were also found to hinder academic success in the university setting. The Manu Tukutuku (kite) model was developed directly from the research findings. In addition to providing a theoretical frame for understanding the experiences of Māori special admission students at university, this model also provides a useful ‘toolkit’ for those wanting to support Māori students within the university context. The implications of this study suggest that New Zealand Universities can better support Māori special admission students by being more inclusive of their cultural capital, by eliminating racism and discrimination in the university environment and by fostering better relationships between staff and students. Creating opportunities for Māori students to develop social networks at University was also identified as important.

text: Tukua Kia Rere! Maori Adult Students Succeeding at University A considerable amount of research has focussed on Māori underachievement in mainstream education. There is, however, much less research that celebrates Māori academic success. Even less has been written about the experiences of adult Māori students who return to study long after leaving school and go on to become academically successful in higher education. This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge regarding Māori academic success at university. It sought to explore the experiences of sixteen adult Māori students who entered university via special admission and went on to attain undergraduate degrees. The study examined the challenges that these individual’s experienced on their way to becoming academically successful and identified the main factors that helped them to achieve educational success. An overarching Kaupapa Māori theoretical framework was employed in this study. A qualitative research methodology was implemented and Kaupapa Māori research principles informed both the research processes and the interpretation of research outcomes. The findings suggest four major factors contributed to the success of the participants in this study: a strong determination to succeed (whāia te iti kahurangi), the extended family (whānau), strong social support networks with peers and faculty (whakawhanaungatanga) and Te Ao Māori (the Māori World). However, some of these same factors were also found to hinder academic success in the university setting. The Manu Tukutuku (kite) model was developed directly from the research findings. In addition to providing a theoretical frame for understanding the experiences of Māori special admission students at university, this model also provides a useful ‘toolkit’ for those wanting to support Māori students within the university context. The implications of this study suggest that New Zealand Universities can better support Māori special admission students by being more inclusive of their cultural capital, by eliminating racism and discrimination in the university environment and by fostering better relationships between staff and students. Creating opportunities for Māori students to develop social networks at University was also identified as important.

year: 2010