Childhood obesity is an epidemic in the U.S.A., and understanding aspects of fitness is critical in implementing effective interventions. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship of obesity levels with the fitness levels of public school children in Louisiana. Over 7,000 school children participated in body mass index (BMI) and Fitnessgram® subtests including the Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (aerobic capacity), curl-ups, trunk lifts, push-ups (strength and endurance), and shoulder stretches (flexibility). The fitness measures and BMI were analyzed using chi-square and logistic regression to test for any significant relationships. The results indicated that the participants with healthy BMIs have the highest levels of physical fitness. The differences between the fitness levels of obese and healthy children were statistically significant. This study demonstrated a direct relationship between BMI status and fitness levels as measured by the Fitnessgram® among study participants. This finding is not exceedingly surprising, as common sense tells us that the heavier a person is, the less likely he or she is to be physically fit. However, this study is an important first step in understanding weight issues in children. This information can be used to develop data-driven interventions to assist children in becoming healthier and more physically fit.

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a lafayette Parish Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee, lafayette, usa; b department of sociology, university of louisiana, lafayette, usa; c university of louisiana, lafayette, usaCourt appearance of defendants is required for the criminal justice system to perform its necessary functions. Without a defendant's appearance in court, the adjudication of criminal charges cannot proceed. Research dating back to the 1960s indicates that the national average for court appearance of defendants is approximately 75% with variations for the type of crime (misdemeanor vs. felony); type of court (local, district, federal); and type of court proceeding (arraignment, pretrial, trial) (The criminal justice system is a set of agencies and processes established by governments to control crime and impose penalties on those who violate laws. Criminal justice systems operate at the federal, state, district and local levels. Each may be organized differently with different jurisdictions have different laws, agencies, and ways of managing criminal ABSTRACT Without a defendant's appearance in court, the adjudication of criminal charges cannot proceed. The low defendant court appearance rates of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana were identified as a high priority to address. A pilot project was implemented, in which, Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office (LPSO) Information Officers would call defendants approximately 5-9 days before their pretrial court appearance. This process began in September 2014. LPSO staff attempted to call all non-incarcerated or diverted defendants with known contact information. LPSO staff documented when calls were made and the type of response (spoke to defendant, left a voicemail, no answer, inoperable phone or spoke to friend or family member). Calls were made to defendants with court appearances in arraignment hearings, misdemeanor pretrial and trial, felony pretrial and traffic court. Court appearance rates for all court hearings increased from 48 to 62%.