Digital Commons Network^™

The Relationship Between Recidivism Rates And Post Release Employment, Richard Louis

Theses and Dissertations

The Relationship Between Recidivism Rates and Post Release Employment. Richard Louis 2018: Applied Dissertation, Nova Southeastern University, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education. Keywords: Ban the Box; Conviction, Incarceration, and Recidivism; Disparate Impact; Human Resources and Negligent Hiring; Parole, Probation, and Ex-Offenders

This applied dissertation was designed to study the relationship between recidivism rates and post release employment. This study utilized three survey instruments with human resource or hiring officers, probation or parole officers, and direct service providers as the respective participants. The survey instruments were distributed anonymously to each of the populations via Survey Monkey. The research study and …

Comparison Of Discrete Trial Teaching And The Verbal Behavior Approach In Early Learners With Autism In A School Setting, Irene Chan

Theses and Dissertations

There are many different interventions available to individuals with autism, and the benefits of each therapy may vary for each student. Two vastly different treatments are discrete trial teaching (DTT) and the verbal behavior approach (VBA). While both are based in the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA), VBA relies more on naturalistic teaching opportunities to teach language in context than DTT, which is conducted in structured instructional sessions. The literature supporting DTT is extensive, with many randomized control trial studies to corroborate its effectiveness. Meanwhile, VBA lacks empirical support as a package; though many studies demonstrate the success of …

Stop And Frisk Among College-Educated Police Officers In Suburban Western Pennsylvania: An Exploratory Study, John F. Swank

School of Criminal Justice Theses and Dissertations

Stop-and-frisk has become a significant issue of debate in recent years with both the constitutionality and effectiveness of the practice coming into question. The New York City Police Department (NYPD) has especially come under scrutiny for their stop-and-frisk program in recent years with researchers finding that minorities and the disadvantaged were being targeted by the NYPD during stop-and-frisk encounters. The majority of the research had focused on New York City, and thus there was little data on the use of stop-and-frisk in other jurisdictions. Moreover, there were few studies that examined officer characteristics, such as college education, agency size, etc., …

A Living Nightmare: A Phenomenological Study Of Black Males' Lived Experiences Of Racial Profiling During Traffic Stops, James C. Jackson Iii

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

For years, urban communities and specific ethnic groups within the US (mostly Blacks and Hispanics) have been targeted for racial profiling by our local police. Since the 1990’s, the outcry for justice by our Black and Hispanic communities increased the interests to find ways to address and fight against the act of racial profiling. This phenomenological study used a qualitative approach to collect information and gain the understanding and lived experiences of Black males between the ages of 20 – 49 who experienced racial profiling during routine traffic stops. Twelve Black Males between the ages of 20 to 49 were …

What Do Organizations Learn From Conflict? A Grounded Meta-Analysis Approach To Developing An Integrated Conflict System Roadmap, Raquel Perez

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

Organizational systems from a variety of fields and industries have begun to investigate and evaluate the skills, strategies, and lessons learned from conflict. Yet, many of the findings are isolated to their specific organizations or industries, decreasing the impact of the newly emerging knowledge. Due to the lack of interconnectedness in the fields and industries, this study poses the following research question: How do organizations develop skills and strategies to respond to internal and external conflict within systems? The purpose of this grounded meta-analysis was to discover what skills and strategies organizations learn through the process of managing conflict and …

A Few Good Men: Narratives Of Racial Discrimination Impacting Male African American/Black Officers In The United States Marine Corps, Peter D. Freeburn

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

In the United States of America (U.S.), institutional marginalization and racial discrimination remains an arguably difficult subject to understand, both conceptually and pragmatically. Regarding governmental sectors, U.S. Armed Forces are institutions where discrimination must be critically explored in an attempt to provide an understanding of the reality faced by those who actually serve. This study involved the examination into racism within a specific elite governmental sector that emphasizes a philosophy of a unified oneness of all its members. Using a phenomenological approach, the study delved into the actual impact of racism within the Marine Corps, on the lives of individual …

Citizens Experience Of Inequitable Distributive Justice In Mineral Resource Revenues In Tanzania: A Phenomenological Inquiry, Marylin K. Lameck

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

Tanzania’s natural resources are national resources for the benefit of all Tanzanian citizens (The Arusha Declaration, 1967). The liberalization of the Mining Industry in the mid-1990s sparked hope in the country that the socio-economic status of all citizens across the nation would improve as a result of the mineral resource revenues obtained by the Government of Tanzania. Contemporary literature on mining in Tanzania has mostly riveted on issues surrounding a triangular relationship between the mining girdle and its population, foreign mining companies, and the Government of Tanzania. Hardly any attention has been given to the non-mining rural districts where the …

Elementary Principals' Perceptions Of Conflicts With Teachers In Elementary Schools: A Phenomenological Study, Daryl C. Roselle

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the lived experiences and perceptions of principals in elementary schools regarding conflicts with teachers. In addition, this dissertation focused on four social science theories to analyze the findings of this study including: systems, social constructionism, symbolic interactionism, and functionalism. Through this five chapter dissertation, the researcher examined the lived experiences and elementary principals’ perceptions and 1) explored the root causes of conflicts among teachers and principals, 2) determined the challenges these principals face with teachers, 3) gathered reasons why the phenomenon has been overlooked, 4) examined the power of negative emotions …

Leading Change Together: Reducing Organizational Structural Conflict Through A Dialogic Od Approach Using Liberating Structures, Barbara Allen

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

As leaders must increasingly find ways to include and engage others in a power-with approach to competently meet today’s complex challenges, the problem occurs when they find themselves stuck within pre-existing systems structured for exclusion and power-over others. These conventional structures are a source of systemic conflict. This participatory action research/cooperative inquiry case study focuses on the topic of leading organizational change collaboratively in the space between formal hierarchical structures and informal human dynamics using a qualitative methodology. The purpose of this study is to understand how a newly developed Liberating Structures Problem Solving (LSPS) model of facilitation helps participants …

Balancing The Domestic Violence Equation: Exploring Trinidadian Men’S Perspectives On Male Marginalization And Why Men Perpetrate Domestic Violence, Michelle A. Thomas

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

The complex social issue of domestic violence is a global problem. Its multifaceted impacts are devastating to those far beyond the immediate victim and perpetrator. On the islands of Trinidad and Tobago, domestic violence incidences are frequent. While customary, reactive intervention and research initiatives in Trinidad have focused mainly on women and children, curbing this social ill has been unsuccessful. This dissertation sought to balance the domestic violence equation by exploring Trinidadian men’s perspectives on this social issue and also sought to examine their perspectives on the concept of male marginalization in relation. Using a qualitative method of inquiry, the …

Assessing Training Impact: Exploring Perspectives On Leadership Training In Healthcare Through A Multi-Frame Lens, Nekeisha G. Bascombe

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

A major concern for most leadership development teams is aligning training and development goals to desired outcomes, especially when looking at overall costs to plan and implement effective training programs. Leadership training in healthcare is increasing due to the complexity of duties and the need to deal with conflicting situations on a regular basis. This study explored whether goals and assessment instruments identified and applied by program development managers were adequate to reflect a multi-frame perspective, and whether participant feedback articulates benefits encompassing multiple frames. Four main questions were used in the study: “What potential benefits do leadership development staff …

Dancing With Culture: A Grounded Theory Study On Latin American And Spanish Speaking Caribbean Women Living In The United States Process For Dealing With Internal Conflicts, Iler Leticia Rivera Chicas

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

This grounded theory study explored the competing cultural expectations and cultural approaches by women from Latin American and Spanish-speaking Caribbean countries living in the United States. The study explored the following questions: In what ways do women from Latin America living in the United States establish priorities among potentially conflicting cultural expectations or roles? What internal conflicts result out of living between two cultures? What does the process for making sense of cultural expectations look like? How do Latin American women living in the United States make sense of this process? Using a constructivist grounded methodology, the research reflects the …

Women’S Experiences In Peace Building Processes: A Phenomenological Study Of Undeterred Female Leaders In Northern Nigeria, Roselyn Ifeyinwa Onyegbula

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

Women living in northern Nigeria face a herculean challenge of overcoming direct and indirect violence. These include domestic violence, political instability, social inequality, and the threat of Boko Haram. Boko Haram is an extremist militant group that has been known to kidnap, rape, and torture women and young girls as means of terrorizing the Nigerian community. Northern Nigerian women have also faced challenges within their own community as they are barred from participating in public activities, are under-represented in government, forced into early marriages, and are often victims of domestic violence. This study examines the lived experiences of women peacebuilders …

Lived Experiences Of Congolese Women Refugees Living In Indianapolis: Voices Of Women, Nyangau Jane Mokaya

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been at war for decades. Since its self rule in 1960, the country has been dealing with civil war, and has the largest number of refugees from Africa to the United States. Mineral wise it is the richest country in Africa, and yet it is the poorest in the standard of living. In this dissertation, I sought to research the lived experiences of Congolese women refugees settled in Indianapolis, Indiana. The purpose of this study was to explore, through their own voices, the challenges these women face as they resettle in a new …

A Critical Analysis Of Presidential Term Limits In Africa: A Mixed-Methods Case Study Of Causes Of Political Violence In Burundi, Foday Darboe

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

The crisis in Burundi began when President Pierre Nkurunziza declared that he would pursue a third term despite a two-term limitation in Burundi’s Constitution. Opposition parties along, with some members of President Nkurunziza’s own National Council for Defence of Democracy, Forces for the Defence of Democracy (CNDD-FDD), argued that President Nkurunziza’s decision to extend his rule beyond the maximum two-terms was in direct violation of the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation agreement, also referred to as the Arusha agreement, signed in 2000. This action triggered opposition parties and civil society groups to organize peaceful protests to challenge President Nkurunziza’s third term …

Imprint Of Racism: A Phenomenological Study On White Adult Males' Exposure To Racial Antipathy, Historical Stereotypes, And Polarization Towards African Americans And Their Transformational Journey Towards Racial Reconciliation, Wynona Yvonne James

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

Since the election of the first African American president in 2008, race relations have deteriorated in the United States. In May 2017, the emergence of the “alt-right” movement advocating for white nationalism caused further polarization between the races. This transcendental phenomenological research examined how white adult males’ exposure to racist ideologies influenced their perceptions towards African Americans, and how they emancipated from environments that promoted racist tenets. The study was guided by three research questions: How have white males been impacted by their exposure to racial antipathy and discrimination? What events or circumstances have white males experienced that led them …

Academically Resistant Athletes: Victims Of Aces Or Commodities Of The System, Melnee Berry

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

Fans of college sports embrace the idea of athletes playing sport and, in turn, receiving tuition scholarships that provide them an opportunity to trade athletic talent for a free education. A contradictory body of research using internal colonization theory posits that the trade of education for playing sports is not a fair exchange but is fraught with exploitation that continues to perpetuate subjugation. An accepted narrative in athletic competition is that the recruiting pipeline draws athletes from impoverished inner-city areas engaging young athletes who experience difficulties keeping up scholastically becoming academically resistant as they focus on their sport at the …

An Examination Of A Mindfulness-Based Intervention For Older Adults, Morgan Levy

Theses and Dissertations

Mindfulness-based interventions use meditation and other learning exercises to help individuals become more aware of their current physiological and emotional experiences. Benefits of practicing mindfulness include an increase in positive psychological outcomes (e.g., psychological well-being, emotion regulation) and a decrease in negative psychological outcomes (e.g., anxiety, depression). The vast majority of studies focus on younger rather than older adults—setting the stage for the current study, which involved delivering a five-session mindfulness-based intervention to older adults (i.e., 60 and older). The smaller literature focused on older adults is promising but generally lacks methodological rigor (e.g., lack of no-treatment control groups). The …

The Relationship Between Adolescent Suicidality And Engagement In Risky Behaviors, Elissa Rebecca Golden

Theses and Dissertations

Adolescent suicide is a serious and growing problem among adolescents. Therefore, the goal of the current study was to try and identify predictors of suicidal ideation. The first objective was to examine whether the level of engagement in risky behavior predicts an increase in total suicidal ideation above and beyond other well-known risk factors (i.e., family functioning, gender, and problem-solving skills). The second objective was to investigate whether different types of risky behaviors (i.e., internalizing versus externalizing) predict different forms of suicidal ideation (i.e., passive versus active) above and beyond perceived family functioning, gender, and problem-solving skills. The pre-test archival …

Assessing Instructed Feigner's Response To The Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scale, Stephen Scott Grabner

Theses and Dissertations

Research has suggested that the interrogative suggestibility levels play an important role in the elicitation of a false confession within a police interrogation. The Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scale (GSS-1) is currently the only validated assessment tool that measures interrogative suggestibility levels, and it is frequently used in forensic evaluations to help support or refute false confession claims. While it is imperative that the GSS-1 readily differentiate between those who are genuinely suggestible and those who are feigning higher suggestibility levels, past researchers have raised concerns regarding the layperson’s ability to feign higher suggestibility levels as measured by the GSS-1. This paper …

Alcohol Misuse Among Operation Enduring Freedom And Operation Iraqi Freedom Military Healthcare Professionals, Brian Letourneau

Theses and Dissertations

Over 2.1 million United States military service members have deployed to support Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). Nearly 40% of OEF/OIF service members meet criteria for an alcohol use disorder post-deployment. Minimal research has addressed alcohol misuse among military healthcare professionals despite the prevalence of alcohol abuse among civilian providers. This study explored whether military healthcare professionals involved with OIF/OEF operations have increased risk for alcohol misuse (i.e., problem drinking, heavy weekly drinking, heavy episodic drinking). Three evidence-based hypotheses were evaluated: (a) among OEF/OIF military personnel, healthcare professionals would have an increased likelihood of alcohol misuse …

Suspicion, Suspicion: Police Perceptions Of Juveniles As The “Symbolic Assailant”, Andrea R. Coleman

School of Criminal Justice Theses and Dissertations

Jerome Skolnick’s (2011) "symbolic assailant" is a result of police attributing particular demeanor, gestures, language, and a style of dress to people they believed were most likely to commit violent crimes. The challenge became when police applied these characteristics to specific groups such as juveniles. Literature published before and after Skolnick (2011) indicated police were more likely to stop, arrest, interrogate, or surveille juveniles based on their demeanor, gestures, style of dress, lack of respect, deference to authority, the severity, and remorse for their offenses in addition to race. However, current research indicated race, gender, and Socioeconomic Status (SES) determined …

Millennial Generation Law Enforcement Academy Recruits And Their Perception Of Mental Health, Jeffrey M. Mcgill

School of Criminal Justice Theses and Dissertations

The traumatic and cumulative stresses associated with a law enforcement career are well documented both empirically and anecdotally. While previous generations have acknowledged and coped with these stressors with varying levels of success, research shows that the millennial generation has reported more mental health issues than any generation in history. Since suicide is the single leading cause of death for United States law enforcement officers in recent years, addressing mental health should be a priority of all agencies. The introduction of millennial generation law enforcement officers creates the potential for increased mental health needs within the field. 25 millennial-aged Florida …

An Exploratory Study Of Selected Policy Diffusions In Judicial Settings, Renee Ann Pistone

School of Criminal Justice Theses and Dissertations

Canon and Baum’s (1981) pioneering study examined diffusion of 23 plaintiff-oriented tort doctrines among the state court systems in 1876-1975 provided an early model to study judicial innovation. Meanwhile, Berry and Berry’s (1990) later model featured event history analysis (EHA) that was relevant for this dissertation which sought to explain political behavior. This dissertation used archival data only and was a quantitative research design that was descriptive and exploratory of the judicial policy adoption process. The researcher used quantitative archival data and described what sociological, political, and criminological factors had impacted policy adoptions over time and explored the possible associations …

A Phenomenological Study Of Methamphetamine And Heroin Users’ Arrest Experiences, James Bardon

School of Criminal Justice Theses and Dissertations

The costs in terms of both monetary and human lives lost due to substance abuse in the United States is well documented and it is publicized that it is increasing. There has been a large amount of research completed that has examined methamphetamine users, heroin users, and the drug-crime nexus; however, there is a paucity of research that provides insight into these users’ arrest experiences. Using a phenomenological approach, this research examined methamphetamine and heroin users’ incidents of being arrested to gain a greater understanding of their lived experiences. The analysis was based on interviews that were conducted with five …

Gun-Free Zones: A Geographical Opinion Study On Attitudes Toward Gun-Free Zones And The Safety Impact On Residents, Sean Grier

School of Criminal Justice Theses and Dissertations

Gun violence is a pandemic problem in the United States, resulting in over two thirds of all homicides each year. Consequently, gun related policies have been fiercely debated within the political spectrum, with the 20th century seeing a dramatic increase in gun control legislation. Gun-free zones are designated areas that strictly prohibit all private citizens from carrying a firearm, even those with concealed weapon permits. The statistics indicate that numerous instances of gun related mass shootings have occurred within the confines of these gun-free zones (schools, movie theatres, government installations, etc.). However, little research exists to understand whether citizens actually …

Domestic Extremism Violence Facing U.S. Law Enforcement, How Can These Threats Be Mitigated?, Matthew R. Gilbert

School of Criminal Justice Theses and Dissertations

The barbaric and targeted killings of police officers have become a growing epidemic facing the nation. An immediate consequence has created the monumental task in protecting the men and women who daily put their lives on the line on behalf of the public. Staggering national numbers over these last ten years has indicated a strong surge in the number of law enforcement officers being ambushed by domestic extremists. The purpose of the current research study was to present an overall awareness and threat picture to the law enforcement and academic communities to better educate men and women in law enforcement …

Brother’S Keeper: Self-Discovery, Social Support, And Rehabilitation Through In-Prison Peer Mentorship, Rebekah Zwick

School of Criminal Justice Theses and Dissertations

Correctional practices in New York State largely support a punishment paradigm, a framework in which men and women are incarcerated to suffer punition, with little consideration given to understanding the causes of criminality or means to rehabilitate the offender. The growing awareness of correctional failures have necessitated efforts to re-evaluate the justice system, with no consensus regarding which rehabilitative methods work. Correctional philosophy and practice provides few substantive opportunities for transformative rehabilitation; therapeutic peer programming to address deficiencies in pro-normative socialization and provide peer support are virtually nonexistent.

For many formerly incarcerated men who build successful lives for themselves within …

Correctional Academic Education: A Qualitative Inquiry Of Quality, Value, And Effectiveness, Michelle Currier

School of Criminal Justice Theses and Dissertations

This study attempted to capture and describe the lived experiences of correctional academic teachers who provide educational services in facilities in the northeastern region of the United States through qualitative phenomenological inquiry. This study strove to provide a deeper understanding of correctional teachers’ perceptions concerning the mission, value, efficacy, and importance of the work that they perform, as well as the resulting approaches they take, in their academic classrooms. Through phenomenological data analysis, the study assessed teachers’ perceptions of the rehabilitative ideal, as well as the role of correctional education program offerings within a rehabilitative framework.

From School To Prison: Assessing The Impact Of Non-Systemic Contributors To The School-To-Prison Pipeline, Jonathan W. Glenn

School of Criminal Justice Theses and Dissertations

The school-to-prison pipeline is an expansive issue that impacts the educational and criminal justice systems in the United States. Traditionally, the research has linked the prevalence of the pipeline to factors based within school systems. These systemic factors include the use of zero tolerance policies, exclusionary disciplinary practices, and the presence of school resource officers. The proposed study aims to assess the impact of factors that perpetuate the school-to-prison pipeline that are non-systemic in nature.

For the purposes of this study, the non-systemic contributors to the school-to-prison pipeline to be assessed are parental socialization, child self-control, learned noncompliance, child resilience, …