IT Trends: Riverside, Calif., Records Graffiti With Geo-Mapping: States Cope With Fiscal Issues

Riverside, Calif., uses geo-mapping technology to record graffiti incidents and locations. The system also helps the city quantify the cost associated with graffiti cleanup, so it can collect full restitution from taggers. Riverside spends more than $1 million on graffiti cleanup annually. Here's a look at how the technology works:

1. City workers take a picture of the graffiti using a GPS-enabled digital camera, which captures its precise location.
2. The information is uploaded into the city's graffiti abatement database.
3. The system creates an interactive GIS map showing graffiti locations and images.
4. Information is made available to the police department for criminal investigation and the attorney general's office for prosecution. Source: Riversideca.gov

Public vs. Private

83% of corporate and 92% of federal government IT decision-makers said information security is their top concern when it comes to social media use in their organizations, according to CDW-G.

Room Tones

Cell phones could soon replace hotel key cards by using a Crypto Acoustic Credential - computer-generated tones - to unlock hotel room doors. The tone would be sent to a user's cell phone as an encrypted message. When played at the appropriate door, the tone disarms the locking system. The technology will be tested in Las Vegas hotels. Source: Financetechnews.com

Fiscal Distress

The recession is forcing governments to make drastic cuts to offset expenses. Here's a glance at what some states are doing to cope, according to the Pew Center on the States' 2010 report.

• California: DMV offices are closed the first three Fridays of each month and courthouses are closed the third Wednesday of every month.
• Utah: implemented a four-day workweek to cut energy costs.
• Florida: cut travel budget and promoted teleconferences.
• Massachusetts: merged six agencies into its Transportation Department and laid off staff who performed duplicative duties.
• Indiana: reassessed rental agreements and consolidated office space instead of renewing leases.