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Mass Incarceration In The State Of Louisiana And Its Impact On The Mental Health Of Incarcerated Men, Samika Treniece Miner Jan 2024

Mass Incarceration In The State Of Louisiana And Its Impact On The Mental Health Of Incarcerated Men, Samika Treniece Miner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.


The Rome Statute And Its Significance In Combatting Impunity For Rape In Ethiopia, Kassahun Yibeltal Sahilu Jan 2023

The Rome Statute And Its Significance In Combatting Impunity For Rape In Ethiopia, Kassahun Yibeltal Sahilu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The goal of ending impunity for atrocity crimes including rape is globally appreciated and accepted with little reservation; however, the actual relevance to the domestic situation in Ethiopia has not been previously explored. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of the Rome Statute, a treaty on atrocity crimes, in combating impunity for perpetrators of rape in Ethiopia in light of Feminist Theory and Domestic Politics of Theory of Treaty Compliance. The research explored the significance of the treaty considering the actual condition of the country by conducting semi-structured group and personal interviews with two lawyers working …


A Qualitative Study Of Urban Male Perception And Definition Of Respect For Law Enforcement Officers, Kyla Duckworth Lurry Jan 2023

A Qualitative Study Of Urban Male Perception And Definition Of Respect For Law Enforcement Officers, Kyla Duckworth Lurry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Among African American males, deaths are alarmingly high for reasons that cannot be completely pinpointed. The purpose of this study was to analyze the definition and perception of respect and law enforcement by an African American male and to determine if Goffman’s dramaturgical model is sufficient to explain the social acceptance respect phenomena. Micro-sociological assessments of everyday social interactions are often based on dramaturgy, a sociological perspective. In a dramaturgical model, social interaction is analyzed as an actor’s performance on stage. This study employed a qualitative design so that the research questions could be answered. Based on the findings of …


The Recidivism Rate In Correlation To The Effectiveness Of The Bridges To Life Reentry Program In Texas, Steven Steen Jan 2023

The Recidivism Rate In Correlation To The Effectiveness Of The Bridges To Life Reentry Program In Texas, Steven Steen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This research explored the relationship between reentry programs and recidivism in the state of Texas. One program in particular, Bridges To Life (BTL), has had an impact on recidivism in the state, and this research analyzed how the overall organization of BTL correlated to recidivism. Recidivism is the repeated or habitual relapse into crime. The purpose of this quantitative research study was to determine whether there was a direct correlation between the reduction of recidivism and the effectiveness of reentry programs through BTL in the state of Texas. The research question for this study explored the correlation between BTL and …


Stress And Wellness Among Correctional Officers In The State Of Oregon, Dewayne Hendrix Jan 2023

Stress And Wellness Among Correctional Officers In The State Of Oregon, Dewayne Hendrix

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

It remained unknown if the effects of the employee wellness policy implemented in Oregon in 2018 were reducing stress and improving the health of correctional officers which if it does may benefit the local communities to help enhance social stability. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of the employee wellness policy, as implemented in the state of Oregon in 2018, in reducing stress and improving the health of correctional officers. This study was guided by the perceived organizational support theory, which holds that employees develop existential views about how much their employer values their contributions and …


Disenfranchisement Laws Affecting Voting Rights Of Black Americans In Mississippi, April Masha Jones Jan 2023

Disenfranchisement Laws Affecting Voting Rights Of Black Americans In Mississippi, April Masha Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

From Black individuals being enslaved and freed to being incarcerated in modern-day society more frequently than White individuals, the desire to have a voice in the decision-making process has been challenging. Black voters in Mississippi may be underrepresented because of felony disenfranchisement laws. The purpose of this general qualitative study was to examine the lived experiences of Black Mississippians about felony disenfranchisement laws and voting rights. The first research question addressed perceptions of Black Americans in Mississippi regarding the felony disenfranchisement laws. The second research question addressed the experiences related to any political implications among the electorate in Mississippi. The …


The Recidivism Rate In Correlation To The Effectiveness Of The Bridges To Life Reentry Program In Texas, Steven Steen Jan 2023

The Recidivism Rate In Correlation To The Effectiveness Of The Bridges To Life Reentry Program In Texas, Steven Steen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This research explored the relationship between reentry programs and recidivism in the state of Texas. One program in particular, Bridges To Life (BTL), has had an impact on recidivism in the state, and this research analyzed how the overall organization of BTL correlated to recidivism. Recidivism is the repeated or habitual relapse into crime. The purpose of this quantitative research study was to determine whether there was a direct correlation between the reduction of recidivism and the effectiveness of reentry programs through BTL in the state of Texas. The research question for this study explored the correlation between BTL and …


The Rome Statute And Its Significance In Combatting Impunity For Rape In Ethiopia, Kassahun Yibeltal Sahilu Jan 2023

The Rome Statute And Its Significance In Combatting Impunity For Rape In Ethiopia, Kassahun Yibeltal Sahilu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The goal of ending impunity for atrocity crimes including rape is globally appreciated and accepted with little reservation; however, the actual relevance to the domestic situation in Ethiopia has not been previously explored. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of the Rome Statute, a treaty on atrocity crimes, in combating impunity for perpetrators of rape in Ethiopia in light of Feminist Theory and Domestic Politics of Theory of Treaty Compliance. The research explored the significance of the treaty considering the actual condition of the country by conducting semi-structured group and personal interviews with two lawyers working …


Lived Experiences Of Technology-Based Legal Resources, Michael Ray Stanley Jan 2023

Lived Experiences Of Technology-Based Legal Resources, Michael Ray Stanley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractLack of access to United States civil courts by individuals who cannot afford or are otherwise unable to retain legal counsel has attracted the interest of policy makers and members of the legal community in recent years. The literature revealed a wide range of efforts and public and private resources that have been employed to address the problem. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the experiences, perceptions, and insights of individuals in a medium-size Michigan city who had utilized services that deliver legal resources by technology-based platforms. Social construction of targeted populations and the technology acceptance model …


Juvenile Delinquency: The Effectiveness Of The Juvenile Direct File Law, Kimberlee Nicole Taggart Jan 2023

Juvenile Delinquency: The Effectiveness Of The Juvenile Direct File Law, Kimberlee Nicole Taggart

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The juvenile direct file law stands firm among Florida laws despite lacking research to show its effectiveness in the prevention of juvenile delinquency. In Florida, juvenile delinquency and the juvenile direct file law cause significant concern due to the uncertainty surrounding the law. The Florida juvenile justice system fosters a vital position in the lives of many children, young adults, and families. Florida’s direct file law has a negative impact on the health, mental health, education, and brain development of juveniles and their ability to separate from a criminal lifestyle. Identifying the direct file law’s effects on the future of …


International Military Peacekeepers And Sex Offenses Committed In The Central African Republic, Michael Tabung Njong Jan 2023

International Military Peacekeepers And Sex Offenses Committed In The Central African Republic, Michael Tabung Njong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractStudies have been conducted on the sexual offending of the local population by peacekeepers, but few have been conducted on the lived experience of professionals providing support and assistance to these victims. This qualitative phenomenological study was conducted to explore the lived experiences of experts providing support and assistance to victims of sex offenses committed in the Central African Republic by international military peacekeepers. The classical deterrence and retributive justice theories guided the study. Participants were recruited through snowball sampling and data collected through face-to- face interviews and analyzed using the Modified Van Kaam method. Two research questions were used …


Gang Diversion Programs In The Success Of Reducing Youth Gang Membership, Francis Songtiib Laari Jan 2023

Gang Diversion Programs In The Success Of Reducing Youth Gang Membership, Francis Songtiib Laari

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The rate of youth involvement in gang membership and crime has become a problem in Fairfax County, Virginia. It has increased violent crimes, drug trade, and incarceration rates for youths and decreased child school graduation rates. Youth gang membership is a significant public issue with broad mental and psychological implications for the child, family, and community because of the potential to commit a crime. Early exposure to gangs and violent neighborhoods can profoundly and negatively impact the residents. Researchers have explored why many children join gangs, but none have examined gang diversion programs' success in reducing youth gang membership. In …


Exploring Jury Nullification: Its Political History, Current, And Potential Impact On Policy, David Harold Penny Jan 2023

Exploring Jury Nullification: Its Political History, Current, And Potential Impact On Policy, David Harold Penny

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Jury nullification (JN) is when a jury knows a defendant is legally guilty, but states they are not guilty, believing that their verdict better serves justice in that case. The problem is the violation of the Constitution’s equal protection clause for all citizens, caused by the intentional omission in most judges’ instructions to juries of JN. The purpose of the study was to fill the gap in the literature on jury behavior and address the problem of JN. The study framework is chaos theory as applied by Horowitz to jury behavior. It describes judges and lawmakers mistrust of juries associated …


Lived Experiences Of Technology-Based Legal Resources, Michael Ray Stanley Jan 2023

Lived Experiences Of Technology-Based Legal Resources, Michael Ray Stanley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractLack of access to United States civil courts by individuals who cannot afford or are otherwise unable to retain legal counsel has attracted the interest of policy makers and members of the legal community in recent years. The literature revealed a wide range of efforts and public and private resources that have been employed to address the problem. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the experiences, perceptions, and insights of individuals in a medium-size Michigan city who had utilized services that deliver legal resources by technology-based platforms. Social construction of targeted populations and the technology acceptance model …


Gang Diversion Programs In The Success Of Reducing Youth Gang Membership, Francis Songtiib Laari Jan 2023

Gang Diversion Programs In The Success Of Reducing Youth Gang Membership, Francis Songtiib Laari

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe rate of youth involvement in gang membership and crime has become a problem in Fairfax County, Virginia. It has increased violent crimes, drug trade, and incarceration rates for youths and decreased child school graduation rates. Youth gang membership is a significant public issue with broad mental and psychological implications for the child, family, and community because of the potential to commit a crime. Early exposure to gangs and violent neighborhoods can profoundly and negatively impact the residents. Researchers have explored why many children join gangs, but none have examined gang diversion programs' success in reducing youth gang membership. In …


Exploring Jury Nullification: Its Political History, Current, And Potential Impact On Policy, David Harold Penny Jan 2023

Exploring Jury Nullification: Its Political History, Current, And Potential Impact On Policy, David Harold Penny

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Jury nullification (JN) is when a jury knows a defendant is legally guilty, but states they are not guilty, believing that their verdict better serves justice in that case. The problem is the violation of the Constitution’s equal protection clause for all citizens, caused by the intentional omission in most judges’ instructions to juries of JN. The purpose of the study was to fill the gap in the literature on jury behavior and address the problem of JN. The study framework is chaos theory as applied by Horowitz to jury behavior. It describes judges and lawmakers mistrust of juries associated …


Juvenile Delinquency: The Effectiveness Of The Juvenile Direct File Law, Kimberlee Nicole Taggart Jan 2023

Juvenile Delinquency: The Effectiveness Of The Juvenile Direct File Law, Kimberlee Nicole Taggart

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The juvenile direct file law stands firm among Florida laws despite lacking research to show its effectiveness in the prevention of juvenile delinquency. In Florida, juvenile delinquency and the juvenile direct file law cause significant concern due to the uncertainty surrounding the law. The Florida juvenile justice system fosters a vital position in the lives of many children, young adults, and families. Florida’s direct file law has a negative impact on the health, mental health, education, and brain development of juveniles and their ability to separate from a criminal lifestyle. Identifying the direct file law’s effects on the future of …


Disparities In The Sentencing Of African American Men In Wayne County, Michigan, Brian Banks Jan 2022

Disparities In The Sentencing Of African American Men In Wayne County, Michigan, Brian Banks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe ability of judges in the U.S. criminal justice system to administer penalties based on a defendant’s socioeconomic status has resulted in a disproportionate number of African Americans receiving harsher penalties than those of other racial groups and socioeconomic statuses. Currently, there is little evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of harsher sentencing of defendants with lower socioeconomic statuses in preventing crime or lowering recidivism, but more work is needed to clarify what sentencing factors judges use. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the factors that Wayne County, Michigan, judges used during the sentencing process of criminal defendants, along …


Reducing Racial Disparity Of Youths Referred To The Juvenile Center, Kimberly Paige Jan 2022

Reducing Racial Disparity Of Youths Referred To The Juvenile Center, Kimberly Paige

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2018, The Juvenile Center in St. Louis, Missouri acknowledged that they needed to decrease the racial disparity in the numbers and percentages of Black youths who were overrepresented compared to White youths at the front-end intake step of the facility. The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain insight as to whether there were alternative actions for police officers after they arrested the youths but before they referred them to the front-end intake step of The Juvenile Center. The main method of collecting data was an ethnographic interview in the form of a questionnaire to gather the community …


Effects Of Expungement Laws And Public Perception On Employers’ Attitudes Toward Hiring Wrongfully Convicted Individuals, Tija Lashon Hopkins Jan 2022

Effects Of Expungement Laws And Public Perception On Employers’ Attitudes Toward Hiring Wrongfully Convicted Individuals, Tija Lashon Hopkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractMany studies have been conducted with a focus on wrongful convictions, but few have been conducted that were focused on the effects of wrongful convictions on hiring managers when it comes to issues of employment for exonerates. Criminal background checks are frequently a part of the hiring process, and hiring managers may lack knowledge or awareness of issues facing wrongfully convicted individuals in terms of record expungement and sealing. Simultaneously, public perception may hinder hiring managers’ desire to extend employment offers to exonerates, as hiring managers might fear reprisal from customers. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore …


The National Crisis Of Police Recruitment And Retention, Brandon Michael Lentz Jan 2022

The National Crisis Of Police Recruitment And Retention, Brandon Michael Lentz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Throughout the history of policing in America, the industry has been hobbled by inadequate recruitment and retention of quality personnel. During the first half of the 21st Century, this inadequacy has reached the level of a crisis. The crisis encompassed the continual shrinking of the police force in the United States with 2020 numbers showing that the United States currently had roughly 800,000 certified police officers with 27,000 leaving the profession each year. The purpose of this study was to examine the perspectives of law enforcement officers on the factors affecting recruitment and retention among new police recruits. For this …


Exploring The Impact Of Student Conduct Models On Student Development At Hbcus, Deona Cureton Jan 2022

Exploring The Impact Of Student Conduct Models On Student Development At Hbcus, Deona Cureton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The effectiveness of the student conduct approaches of the mixed method model, a mixture of restorative justice and traditional sanctioning, and traditional sanctioning, known as the “model code,” in student learning at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) has been largely unexamined in existing literature. This quantitative study examined whether the model code process or a mixed method model process is more effective and efficient in producing learning and accountability. The present study utilized the 28-item questionnaire from the Student Accountability and Restorative Research (STARR) Project, a multicampus study conducted in 2011 in the United States. In the current study, …


A Study Of The Impact Of Judicial And Environmental Factors On Increasing Juvenile Court Dependency Cases, Marcea O'Brien Jan 2022

A Study Of The Impact Of Judicial And Environmental Factors On Increasing Juvenile Court Dependency Cases, Marcea O'Brien

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe number of families being referred to the Department of Children and Family Services following allegations of neglect, or the inability to care for a child in the state of Georgia has been increasing. Many children removed from their parents’ custody are placed in foster care. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the impact of the socioeconomic factors facing these parents and the court processes and procedures on the increased number of foster care cases. Data were collected from participant interviews with attorneys, judges, and a clerk who work in the juvenile court system in two …


African American Male Ex-Felons' Perspectives Regarding Felon Disenfranchisement, Tymesha Alegra Whitehead Jan 2021

African American Male Ex-Felons' Perspectives Regarding Felon Disenfranchisement, Tymesha Alegra Whitehead

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The tradition of disenfranchising those convicted in the United States of felony crimes has profound historical racial roots that have persisted for decades in the United States. The persistent practice of felon disenfranchisement in the 21st century challenges the essence of democracy, with over six million people disenfranchised. The need for major reform efforts to restore voting rights to ex-felons has been exposed due to this issue. The literature revealed no studies have been undertaken regarding this phenomenon in terms of those directly affected by it. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to understand the effect of …


Corruption In Togo's Land Registration And Its Impact On Real Estate Development, Gbati Kakaye Jan 2021

Corruption In Togo's Land Registration And Its Impact On Real Estate Development, Gbati Kakaye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract:Researchers have asserted that following malaria and AIDS, land-related conflict, exacerbated by rampant real estate corruption, is the third-largest problem and leading cause of death in Togo. The current study provided a means of gaining better understanding of the impact of corruption on real estate development in Togo by addressing the following research questions: How is corruption manifested in Togo’s land registration process and how has corruption in land registration process impacted real estate development? Theoretically, the study was underpinned by the cultural and neo-institutional economics framework. Data were collected through individual interviews and a focus group discussion with 15 …


Exploring Alternative Dispute Resolution For Settlement Of Criminal Disputes In Nigeria, Agatha Anulika Okeke Jan 2021

Exploring Alternative Dispute Resolution For Settlement Of Criminal Disputes In Nigeria, Agatha Anulika Okeke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite advancements in modern criminal justice administration and its widespread use in criminal justice administration in other parts of the globe, alternative dispute resolution (ADR) was not widely used in Nigeria. A qualitative research method was used, anchored with Bentham’s theory of judicial organization and adjective law, cognitive-behavioral theory, and the reintegrative shaming theory. The purposeful sampling technique, a nonprobability sampling method was used to select 10 participants who were either members of the Bar or of the Bench for the interview sessions. Their responses were transcribed, analyzed, coded, decontextualized, recontextualized, and the meaning units fed into the Nvivo statistical …


Effect Of Society’S Political Ideology On The Long-Term Viability Of Drug Courts, Tiffany Kragnes Jan 2020

Effect Of Society’S Political Ideology On The Long-Term Viability Of Drug Courts, Tiffany Kragnes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Drug courts are programs for people who experience substance abuse disorders and have been accused of a crime and are perceived as being likely to reoffend. The purpose is to provide a therapeutic approach with reducing the risk of future offense by supporting treatment for the defendant. Drug courts are cost-effective for state and local governments and are often funded through a combination of state appropriations and federal grants. Little is known how political ideology may influence the state and local budget process that support drug courts. Using Shafritz’s power and politics theory as the foundation, the purpose of this …


Previously Incarcerated Individuals’ Perceptions Of Decision-Making Leading To Their Solitary Confinement, Rita Pavone Jan 2020

Previously Incarcerated Individuals’ Perceptions Of Decision-Making Leading To Their Solitary Confinement, Rita Pavone

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study explored the issue of communication in prison systems in conjunction with an overextended utilization of isolation confinement methods. Using Sexton’s conceptualization of the penal subjective consciousness model as a guide, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to better understand the experiences of confined offenders related to their experiences regarding the perspectives of prison officials based on a variety of factors including criminal background, social status, and programming needs. Data from semi-structured interviews with 25 participants addressed the process of communication between prison personnel and inmates from the time of incarceration through placement in isolation confinement, and then …


Wrongful Conviction: Using Lived Experience To Explore Errors In Juror Cognition, Danielle Nicole Schulte Lewis Jan 2020

Wrongful Conviction: Using Lived Experience To Explore Errors In Juror Cognition, Danielle Nicole Schulte Lewis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractWrongful conviction is a pressing legal and social justice issue that requires scholarly attention in the United States. The role of jurors in the criminal justice system has been empirically investigated and debated for many decades as researchers attempt to understand the juror decision-making process and how jurors contribute to wrongful conviction. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively explore how errors in juror cognition during decision-making led to juror reliance on narrative construction and commonsense reasoning rather than legal and judicial instruction in wrongful conviction cases. In-depth interviews were conducted with 12 jurors who served on a criminal …


Attitudes On International Standards For Criminal Hacking In The Public And Private Sector, Melinda Shoemaker Jan 2020

Attitudes On International Standards For Criminal Hacking In The Public And Private Sector, Melinda Shoemaker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a current gap in the literature regarding uniform and consistent standards and policies for addressing criminal hacking at the international level. The purpose of this quantitative dissertation was to explore the relationship between individuals in the public and private sectors and their attitudes toward the need for international law defining criminal hacking and the penalties associated with the act. Since the advent of information and communication technologies, there has been a need to address security holistically. The security and sustainability of evolving technologies are examined in light of the threat landscape of criminal hacking, privacy concerns, and policies …