Digital Commons Network^™

An Investigation Of Law Enforcement Officer Background And Personality: A Study Of The Effects Of Education And Time In Service On Personality Characteristics, Courtney A. Claiborne

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Within the last ten years, the actions of law enforcement officers have received increased attention, particularly in events involving disproportionate use of force. However, researchers and individuals should not generalize all law enforcement officers based on these incidents. In other words, the actions of law enforcement officers in these incidents should not be used as a basis to predetermine the actions of all law enforcement officers. Therefore, examining law enforcement officers' personalities and backgrounds is one way to understand individual police officers better. Through an exploratory research study, the researcher was able to examine the effect education and time in …

Mass Incarceration: Racial Disparities Within The U.S. Criminal Justice System, Crystal Nichole Pugh

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The United States incarceration rate has remained steady at over two million people incarcerated within their criminal justice facilities. Among the U.S. criminal justice system incarcerated populations, African Americans are disproportionately represented contributing to its overwhelming numbers and overcrowded facilities nationwide. Studies have shown racial disparities experienced within the correctional system have been credited as a direct result of decision-making at various points throughout the criminal justice process. Previous and even current research on racial disparities within the criminal justice system have attributed much of its data to disproportionate minority contacts in the juvenile population and a heavy police presence …

The Nuclear Threat: A Homeland Security Perspective, Renae Katherine Harvey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

On December 8, 1987, the United States and Russia signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. Since then, it has been a common misconception that this solidified the end of the Cold War and the Nuclear Arms Race. To this day, nuclear installations are plaguing bordering countries within the European Union. As a result, severe transnational issues become evident as transnational crime groups grow and technological advancements of terrorist groups continue to gain ground within the nuclear power threshold. Furthermore, countries within the Asian Peninsula and the Middle East continue to demonstrate nuclear prowess via mass media attention as a sense …

Beyond The Pulpit: A Quantitative Analysis Of Midwest Church Leaders' Confidence And Competence In Addressing Sexual Trauma, Eryka Mcmillan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study investigates the interconnectedness of confidence and competence within the context of Midwest church leaders in addressing survivors of sexual trauma. Sexual Trauma encompasses crimes like sexual assault, rape, and sexual abuse, and it presents complex challenges within faith communities. This research employs an ordinal logistic regression, combining a survey instrument to assess leaders' confidence, known as the Readiness to Work with Trauma-Exposed Patients (RTEPS), and a comprehensive tool to measure competence, referred to as the Trauma-Informed Care Questionnaire (TICQ). Additionally, demographic factors, including race, age, gender, denomination, previous trauma training, and years of ministry experience, are analyzed …

Equipping Local Pastors To Develop A Comprehensive Chaplaincy Ministry For The Cullman County Sheriff's Office, Matthew W. Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Law enforcement officers’ high incidence of suicides and career abandonment is often attributed to work stress and inadequate support. The unmet emotional, physical, and spiritual needs further compound this situation. The researcher addressed the problem of unmet needs by training local pastors to serve as chaplains. Seven deputies, including six males and one female, and ten ministers, including eight males and two females, participated in the program. The training sessions included the following topics: introduction to law enforcement chaplaincy, personal issues LEOs’ battle, ministry of presence, building relationships, the chaplain’s purpose and role, qualities desired in a chaplain, ride-alongs, death …

Efficacy Post-Event: Mass Killing Integrated Response Training, Danny Scott Jarrell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Regarding the killing or attempted killing of people in confined and populated areas, whether defined as an active threat, active shooter, or active killer, the results for public safety professionals responding to these incidents are the same. The Federal Bureau of Investigation statistics indicate that many mass killing events involve the use of firearms(s) with no pattern or method to the killer's selection of victims. The increasing frequency of these events, coinciding with the high number of casualties, is forcing first responders to adopt improved operational responses. Developing procedures through the collaborative efforts between first responders (e.g., fire, emergency medical …

Police Brutality: The Nexus Between Historical Injustices, Police Culture And The African American Experience, Claude M. Rhone

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study focused on the harassment, maltreatment, and brutality of African Americans by police officers. The recent widespread condemnation and social justice protests in response to incidents of police brutality point to historical injustices inherent to the culture of policing. Slavery provides the overarching backdrop; however, Jim Crow laws cultivated the structural adaptations necessary to fulfill segregation between African Americans and Whites. The American policing model, which evolved from slave patrols to public entities, continued as an apparatus in the marginalization and disenfranchisement of African Americans. The narrative of “defunding the police” suggests that the past’s cultural proximity renders the …

Leveraging Ministry And Community Partnerships To Address Community Needs, Chaunceia Renee Mayfield

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative DMIN project aims to expand the outreach impact of Strengthen Thy Sister Ministry by continuing to leverage ministry and community organization partnerships to address a specific community need. Strengthen Thy Sister, an ecumenical women’s ministry in St. Louis, Missouri, partnered with Jennings School District Hope Houses to provide tangible support to the organization during the COVID-19 pandemic. The partnership helped to address food insecurity among homeless students and families in a crisis. This partnership granted Strengthen Thy Sister an opportunity to partner with certified and experienced educational practitioners with the infrastructure to serve the students at Jennings School …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Perception Of Racial Unity In Evangelical Churches In Chicago, Amber L. Harvey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

“Racism in the United States is part of a much older and global phenomenon” that has effects that are seen “today in hearts, minds, and institutions” (Lovelace, 2021, p. 67). Regarding the African American population, housing discrimination continues to be an obstacle to families (Burke et al., 2018), racist systems have led to collateral damage in the health of adults (Bleich et al., 2019), and African American men constitute approximately 25% of police shooting victims (Schwartz, 2020). This study seeks to examine if racism has infiltrated into the local church. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore …

Let My People Go: A Biblical Theology Of Liberation In The Exodus Motif, Lou Ann Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Liberation theologians view political liberation as the central theme of the historical Exodus event due to their interpretation of the text through the perspective of the oppressed and the oppressor. I reject the postmodern stance of liberation theologians, which overemphasizes political liberation and fails to consider the links between Yahweh’s supernatural actions on behalf of the Hebrews in light of Yahweh’s covenantal obligations to Abraham’s descendants. This study argues against the use of liberation theologies as the paradigm for interpreting the historical Exodus event and asserts that a biblical theology of the Exodus motif reveals “covenant” as the interpretive key …

From Covenants To Classrooms: Uncovering The Impact Of Racial Segregation On Education In St. Paul, Minneapolis, And Duluth, Alexis C. Jones

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Minnesota's history contains a narrative of segregation that not only shaped the physical landscape of its cities but also entrenched disparities in education and fractured communities. The racial covenants that first emerged in 1910 built the bedrock of housing segregation that led to segregated neighborhoods. The consequences of this systemic segregation extended beyond residential boundaries and infiltrated the corridors of education, where the harsh realities of racial imbalance often betrayed the promise of equal opportunity. By examining the interconnectedness of housing policies, school integration efforts, and community development, this study uncovers the roots of inequality and proves how Minnesota failed …

The History Of Systemic Racism In The Texas Rangers, John E. Jordan Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

White people dominated North American society from the first settlement of North America through the twentieth century and their own cultural norms dictated their actions, both good and bad. The Texas Rangers and other police officers in Texas played a major role in the discrimination of people of color, particularly the Hispanic population. Systemic racism is found in the militarizing of the police and how they interacted with people of color.

A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Law Enforcement Officers Challenges In Combatting Human Trafficking In Alabama, Patience S. Johnson-Daniels

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Human trafficking (HT) is a heinous crime that has gained international attention. Millions of people (specifically young girls and women) are affected by prostitution and sexual exploitation, the most common forms of human trafficking. Currently, anti-trafficking law enforcement agencies are struggling to respond to human trafficking due to the lack of data, the hidden nature of the crime, the current service providers, and the strategies of human trafficking task forces. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study will be to understand better the challenges of law enforcement officers and the impact of law enforcement officers in combatting human trafficking. The …

The Role Of Social Media In The Expansion Of Jihadist Terrorism In The United States, Shakira Natalee Anglin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to understand the role social media plays in the expansion of jihadist terrorism in the United States for sixteen participants at the sites: the Mary Lynch building in Columbia, Maryland, and a Club House conference room in Hanover, Maryland. The theories that guided this study were Social Structure and Social Learning Theory (SSSL) and Social Identity Theory (SIT). Jihadist terrorism has a symbiotic relationship with the tenets of Social Structure and Social Learning Theory, which postulates that criminal behaviors are learned through social interactions. Danielle and Klein (2018) contended that Aker’s Social Structure …

The Perception Of K-12 Instrumental Directors In Low-Income Areas On Virtual Learning With Skill Development And Retention, Anthony Lewis Hunt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Due to the extreme measures taken to protect students from COVID-19 during the pandemic, schools closed their doors, and educators struggled to continue teaching through virtual learning platforms. Performance-based classrooms were encouraged to discover new methods and strategies to motivate students to thrive even though face-to-face rehearsals were restricted. This study examined the experiences secondary music education instrumentalists faced while attempting to utilize synchronous and asynchronous instruction in a 100 percent virtual performance-based environment. This study aimed to understand the negative and positive effects placed on secondary instrumentalists’ performance abilities, fundamental development, and participation/retention since the introduction of virtual learning …

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Black Males Who Have Participated In A Black Male Initiative Program At A Historically Black College Or University, Jenard Darrell Moore

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological was to identify and understand how Black Male Initiative programs contributed to the completion of an undergraduate degree for Black males at HBCUs. The study's central research question was: What role does the Black Male Initiative (BMI) play in Black male undergraduate degree completion at HBCUs in the U.S.? Shaun Harper’s anti-deficit achievement framework (ADAF) served as the conceptual framework for this study. Albert Bandura’s social cognitive theory (SCT) served as the guiding theoretical framework for this study. The design of this study was a transcendental phenomenological design with multiple units of analysis. The sample …

Restitution Is A Necessary Part Of Biblical Forgiveness: A Look At How The Bible Provides A Legal And Moral Solution For Transgressions Committed, Robert Andrew Pannier

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the principle of restitution and how it is an essential part of biblical forgiveness. What makes this principle so important is that God wanted to ensure that there was no barrier to the unity of the body of Christ and unforgiveness related to a transgression can be a huge barrier as it creates resentment and anger. Since the ultimate goal of God is the unity of His creation, God provided a system where true forgiveness could be achieved, both from a legal standpoint, where a debt was repaid, and from a moral …

Foster Care And The Church, Donald R. Brown

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this action-based research project was to expose the absence of the church from active/personal involvement in the lives of foster families. The foster care system is overloaded, resulting in burnout of both foster parents and administrators. This results in a negative impact on children who enter the foster care system. Data was researched from the national, state, and local levels to note trends in the foster care system and reference that data with current books and journal articles analyzing trends/needs in the system. The intervention utilized interviews, questionnaires, and observations to gather information on the status of …

Church Personnel Perceptions Of Disorderly Students: A Case Study Of Misconduct In Child Ministry Programs, Regina M. Davis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem: undisciplined children in church settings disrupt biblical teachings and provide the impetus for other children to act inappropriately. Therefore, discipline issues must be addressed. Christian teachers have a unique responsibility to establish high moral and ethical standards in their classrooms based on God’s Word, thus, student discipline issues must be addressed for the wellbeing of all concerned.

The purpose of this Qualitative Case Study is to understand the student discipline issues experienced by teachers in child ministry programs and how they coped with these issues. Student discipline issues can be defined as incidents of disruptive behaviors exhibited by …

A Phenomenological Study Of How Active Engagement In Black Greek Letter Sororities Influences Christian Members' Spiritual Growth, Lorraine Mary Aragon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological study explored how being part of a Black Greek Letter. Organization (BGLO) sorority impacts the spiritual growth of its Christian members. One of the issues explored was the influence relationships within these sororities have on members striving to be like Christ. There is a dichotomy of perspectives regarding Black Greek Letter Organizations (BGLOs). They have a significant role in the Black community as organizations that foster leadership, philanthropy, and sisterhood and promote education. They are admired on and off college campuses and in the broader community in graduate chapters. The objective of phenomenology is to describe phenomena of …

Evaluating The Concepts Of The Tarde Imitation Theory And Its Impact On Training Effectiveness For Law Enforcement In Times Of Disaster, Barry D. Walker Jr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This paper looks at the effectiveness of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) training from the perspective of those using the training. In addition, it looks at how the Imitation Theory developed by Tarde may or may not impact effective training, specifically in response by those exposed to a large-scale disaster. The researcher accomplishes this study through qualitative analysis of interviews conducted in the Panhandle of Florida with those who have had some FEMA training and have had at least one personal experience with a large-scale disaster. The researcher discovered that it is common for those working in the Panhandle of …

How Police Chaplains Can Facilitate Building And Maintaining Trust With Law Enforcement: Through The Ministry Of Presence, Marjorie Abrahams Dent

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

CPP Chaplaincy Corps is a ministry that provides spiritual, emotional, and mental support to its law enforcement personnel. Their function is to enhance the well-being and quality of life of the police officers as they serve and protect the citizens of their city, by offering a listening ear, a supportive presence, and providing individual pastoral care. This project seeks to determine if the newly organized CPP Chaplaincy Corps can be successful in facilitating the process of building trust with law enforcement through the Ministry of Presence and Pastoral Care. It also documents the progress and changes that have been made …

Responding To Wounds Of The Soul: American Law Enforcement, Moral Injury And Religious Coping, Boston D. Ross

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The concepts of moral injury and religious coping are inherently entwined, based on the common reaction of many to turn to religion when faced with stressors. Specifically, Koch (2010) suggests religion is a common means by which individuals, including police officers, may try and cope with their occupational stress. In consideration of the current focus on police mental health and wellness, examining the literature related to moral injury, religious coping and American law enforcement officers serves as a viable first step in conducting further research. Furthermore, based on the extremely limited body of literature on the aforementioned subject(s) independently, and …

Early Intervention And Prediction Of Risk Management Issues In Law Enforcement: A Phenomenological Study, Pamela Lynn Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to research the Early Intervention Systems (EIS) and prediction of risk management issues in law enforcement. The following questions guided the study:

1. How do law enforcement personnel describe their experience with EIS programs as an intervention for officers with behavioral or conduct issues?
2. How do EIS programs affect law enforcement agencies as a whole?
3. What indicators could law enforcement supervisors look for in officers to circumvent misconduct (on or off duty)?
4. What interventions have been observed personally or with other officers regarding discipline, counseling, additional training, etc.?

The setting for this study was …

Counseling Women In Prison On Forgiveness, Guilt, And Shame, Lashawnda Denise Key

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is a lack of adequate counseling on forgiveness, guilt, and shame in the women’s prison. Without effective counseling on those subjects while incarcerated, there is potential for the female offender to reoffend. Adequate counseling could increase the recidivism rate. Counselors in the prison system address behavior issues, acclimation of prison life and rehabilitation programs. Addressing the issues that precipitates criminal behavior and helping the offender understand the factors that lead them to engage in criminal behavior are overly complex. With passable counseling the offenders have the propensity to release the hurt and pain they have lived with and become …

A Survey Of North Carolina School Resource Officers: Training And Roles, Alesha Poole Troutman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study is to develop an understanding of the roles of SROs in North Carolina and the training that they receive. This study is based on the perceptions of SROs in North Carolina and the roles and training that they need to be effective within the school(s) they serve. The quantitative design used a survey that consisted of different measurement scales, including ordinal, nominal, and fill-in-the-blank. The findings of this study were analyzed using Qualtrics XM that lets you statistically analyze your response data and allows researchers to identify trends and produce predictive models. Descriptive statistics were …

Inmate Peer To Peer Mentoring, A Resource For Future Prison Reform, Calvin L. Sutphin Ii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The moral rehabilitation initiative using trained and equipped inmates to mentor their peers within West Virginia prisons is in its infancy and lacks formal validation as a resource for prison reform in West Virginia. All key stakeholders must validate peer-to-peer mentoring for it to reach its fullest potential and become a tool for future prison reform. The key stakeholders include state correctional leaders, individual prison administrations, and the inmate population. Most of the inmate population in West Virginia has release dates and will be returning to local communities throughout West Virginia. Today’s investment in an inmate’s moral fiber translates to …

Leading From Eternity: Developing Inmates With Life Sentences Into Undershepherds, Richard S. Kowalczyk

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In an attempt to reform the American criminal justice system, the United States Congress passed, and the President signed, the comprehensive First Step Act (FSA). The aim of the FSA is to identify and begin preparing offenders for release in order to reduce recidivism. Unfortunately, the provisions of FSA applied to only a small percentage of the inmate population. Further, there was very little relief with regards to the reforming of the sentencing guidelines. None of the provisions provided any direct relief for inmates with a minimum of 20 years to life sentences. This thesis project provides an opportunity for …

Principal Perceptions On The Inclusion Of Music Education And Professional Development Opportunities: A Qualitative Study, Gabriel Woods

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative case study identifies perspectives that have not yet been explored and documented concerning the difference in attention across school levels when it comes to offering professional development opportunities for music teachers. The majority of previous studies have focused on STEM programming, not the arts. In this study, the researcher interviewed six K-12 principals who aided in deciding whether to include music programs to students and professional development opportunities to teachers. Two principals were interviewed in the different K-12 school levels: elementary, middle, and high schools. The results of this study add to the literature and can foster an …

Examining Emergency Safety Preparedness Training In Baptist Churches In North Carolina Against An Active Shooter Threat, Kim Mark Auten

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

As the threat of human-made hazards intensifies, church leadership will need to examine their church safety preparedness policies to keep congregations safe while on the property. This research's primary objective was to determine if there are current safety protocols in which address potential threats and if church leadership has procedures in place that cover the various disasters that churches are exposed to in the state of North Carolina. The purpose of this quantitative descriptive study was to examine the churches serving North Carolina in a rural, suburban, and inner-city setting to determine if there is any correlation in leadership's perception …