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Prison Boot Camps: Which Style Works Best?, Joshua M. Towey
Prison Boot Camps: Which Style Works Best?, Joshua M. Towey
Student Work
In 1983 Georgia and Oklahoma began implementing a new type of alternative sanction called prison boot camps. These alternative sanctions were an attempt to alleviate problems such a prison overcrowding, cost of long-term imprisonment, and high recidivism rates among offenders. As boot camps proliferated across the U.S., two distinct types of programs evolved, the military and the therapeutic styles. Given the extensive use of these types of boot camps across the country, it is important to determine which style is most effective at achieving their intended goals. For this research, I use data collected by MacKenzie and Souryal (1994) to …
Nebraska Serious And Violent Offender Re-Entry Program: An Evaluation Of Participants' Perception Of Program Effectiveness, Crystal H. Fuller
Nebraska Serious And Violent Offender Re-Entry Program: An Evaluation Of Participants' Perception Of Program Effectiveness, Crystal H. Fuller
Student Work
In response to the three-fold increase in the number of returning inmates to America's communities over the last three decades, the Department of Justice's Serious and Violent Offender Re-entry Initiative provides funding for development of programming to reduce recidivism rates and improve community safety. However, evaluations of these re-entry programs have not addressed the attitudes and opinions of the program participants themselves. This study examined the perceptions of the re-entry participants to help assess the effectiveness of the programming they are receiving from the Nebraska Serious and Violent Offender Re-entry Pilot Program. Data was gathered from personalized re-entry plans for …
Blocks & Robbers: An Analysis Of The Frequency Of Robbery On Public Housing Blocks And On Blocks Adjacent To Public Housing Blocks In Omaha, Nebraska, Liddie M. Thompson
Blocks & Robbers: An Analysis Of The Frequency Of Robbery On Public Housing Blocks And On Blocks Adjacent To Public Housing Blocks In Omaha, Nebraska, Liddie M. Thompson
Student Work
This research replicates the earlier work of Roncek, Bell, and Francik (1981) that found public housing blocks in Cleveland, Ohio had higher index crime rates than non-public housing blocks and that these blocks affected crime rates of blocks throughout the entire city. The current thesis utilizes t-tests for differences of means and regression analysis to determine whether similar results can be found in Omaha, Nebraska with respect to the crime of robbery. The research is framed within the social disorganization perspective and the routine activities theory. The findings indicate public housing blocks in Omaha have higher incidences of robbery than …
The Effects Of Increased Racial Isolation On 5th-Grade Students' Achievement, Attendance, And Behavior, Peter J. Smith
The Effects Of Increased Racial Isolation On 5th-Grade Students' Achievement, Attendance, And Behavior, Peter J. Smith
Student Work
Achievement, attendance, and behavior data of African American, Hispanic American, and Caucasian students from racially segregated and racially integrated settings were analyzed to determine the effect of racial isolation on achievement, attendance, and behavior of each racial group. Achievement, attendance, and behavior data of randomly selected students from each racial group were analyzed (N = 120). African American students from segregated schools (n = 20) and from integrated schools (n = 20); Hispanic American students from segregated schools (n = 20) and from integrated schools (n = 20); and Caucasian students from segregated schools (n = 20) and from integrated …
Sociopolitical Empowerment Of Social Work Students, Lori Stearns
Sociopolitical Empowerment Of Social Work Students, Lori Stearns
Student Work
Advocacy for social justice is a tradition of the social work profession and a professional ethical mandate essential for clinical practice and the development of social policies. Research suggests that university environments are optimal for developing and enhancing empowerment among aspiring social work students. Current undergraduate and graduate level social work students were surveyed using the Sociopolitical Empowerment Scale to assess their perceived empowerment. As an exploratory study, the findings suggested that educational opportunities to experience political participation and memberships in student and professional organizations are potential factors that may enhance perceived empowerment. The implications of this research support continued …
Regional Economic Issues: Determinants Of Recession Duration And Determinants Of New Firm Formation, Angela M. Kuhlmann
Regional Economic Issues: Determinants Of Recession Duration And Determinants Of New Firm Formation, Angela M. Kuhlmann
Student Work
Why are some regional economies able to outperform those of other regions? Using state-level data in two separate analyses, this thesis shows that industrial diversity is one potential answer. Industrial diversity is calculated using the Herfindahl index. In the first model, duration analysis on state recessions occurring between 1979 and 1996 indicates that an increase in industrial diversity is associated with shorter recessions. Other determinants of recession duration include unemployment, change in real income per capita, proportion of non-white workers, total population, and change in population growth. In the second model, regression analyses on 2001 firm formation rates show that …
Alternative Methods For Identifying Groups Of Neighborhoods To Support The Development Of Alliances In Omaha, Nebraska, Heather L. Bloom
Alternative Methods For Identifying Groups Of Neighborhoods To Support The Development Of Alliances In Omaha, Nebraska, Heather L. Bloom
Student Work
Omaha by Design’s (OBD) initiative, Neighborhood Omaha, identifies groups of neighborhoods as planning units. Objective methods can be used to identify alternative groupings of neighborhoods into alliances for sub-area planning. For alliances to be successful, neighborhoods need to be drawn together based on similar characteristics, specifically neighborhood demographics. This study asserts that neighborhood, business and miscellaneous associations can be analyzed using two-step cluster analysis to determine demographic, problem and identity similarity. An analysis of the neighborhoods east of 72nd Street, as identified by the City of Omaha Planning Department, resulted in the creation 11 multi-neighborhood alliances.
Citizens Contacting The Police: The Dynamics Of Police-Citizen Interactions During Two Voluntary Contacts, Tracie L. Toscano
Citizens Contacting The Police: The Dynamics Of Police-Citizen Interactions During Two Voluntary Contacts, Tracie L. Toscano
Student Work
The thesis investigates two types of citizen initiated contacts with the police using data from the Bureau of Justice, “Contacts Between Police And The Public: Findings From The 1999 National Survey.” The two types of contacts examined are citizens asking for assistance from the police and citizens reporting neighborhood problems to the police. It was hypothesized that there are differences between citizens calling the police during these two contacts by demographic variables income, gender, age, and race. The descriptive findings were that people with higher income, females, between the ages of 25-44, and Whites call the police more than citizens …
An Evaluation Of The Douglas County Day Reporting Center, Dae-Young Kim
An Evaluation Of The Douglas County Day Reporting Center, Dae-Young Kim
Student Work
The purpose of the present study was to understand the nature of the DRC's clients and the roles of the DRC as a mechanism of informal social control in the context of the Nebraska State/Douglas County Criminal Justice System. More specifically, as a preliminary evaluation of the DRC, this research will determine whether the program has been working as intended. The current study pursued two main goals: (1) identifying the demographic and case variables that determine successful completion of the program (i.e., graduation) and recidivism and (2) identifying the types of effective and ineffective treatment for an offender's reintegration. In …
U.S. Foreign Direct Investment And Host Country Labour Market Competitiveness, Burcu Can
U.S. Foreign Direct Investment And Host Country Labour Market Competitiveness, Burcu Can
Student Work
This paper’s primary goal is to investigate whether host country labour market competitiveness and labour standards affect the location decision of U.S. firms. The analysis is based on a regression model using time series data on FDI, skills, host country’s GDP, the corporate income tax rate, distance, and other variables. We also use cooperation between labour and employers as a measure of labour standards. Considerable support is found for the importance of labour standards in affecting the location decision U.S. firms.
The Impact Of External Debt On Economic Growth In Highly Indebted Developing Countries, Asaad Najib
The Impact Of External Debt On Economic Growth In Highly Indebted Developing Countries, Asaad Najib
Student Work
This study investigates the relationship between external debt and the growth rate of GDP per capita based on a total sample of 57 countries consisting of two different groups. The first group is classified as Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPCs) because they qualify for HIPC debt relief initiative. The second group includes some middle income developing countries not qualifying for HIPC debt relief initiative. The study uses panel data with different methods of estimations. The results of this study indicate that the coefficients of debt variables were strongly significant and negatively related to economic growth, not only in the first …
Corruption In The Former Soviet Union And The Problems It Represents To The Democratization Process, Eva V. Ertmane
Corruption In The Former Soviet Union And The Problems It Represents To The Democratization Process, Eva V. Ertmane
Student Work
The purpose of this study is to better understand the phenomenon of corruption in the former member states of the Soviet Union and the implications for a successful completion of democratic transition and consolidation. The complex political and economic situation is constantly changing, and although well over a decade has passed since the official collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the future of the majority of the fifteen former Soviet Union countries remains - at best - questionable and uncertain. This study is concentrated on comparing different rates of progress towards democratization in several of the former Soviet Union …
Representational Roles And Cues In The 2004 Nebraska Legislature, Rhonda Saferstein
Representational Roles And Cues In The 2004 Nebraska Legislature, Rhonda Saferstein
Student Work
This research updates research done in 1972 on representational roles in the Nebraska Legislature. This research also examines one aspect of legislative decision-making based on previous studies regarding sources of cues used by legislators when deciding how to vote on bills. A survey of incumbent Nebraska Legislators reveals changes since 1972 in the predominant representational role orientation chosen by senators. They survey also sheds light on the sources of cues most relevant to these legislators and how cue-taking relates to representational roles.
A Survey Of Self-Reported Mental Illness Among Adult Inmates In Nebraska, Cristin B. O'Rourke
A Survey Of Self-Reported Mental Illness Among Adult Inmates In Nebraska, Cristin B. O'Rourke
Student Work
This study used the results of mailed surveys to estimate the number of adults incarcerated in Nebraska prisons that have mental illness. It explored possible associations between the variables of gender, race, and mental illness. Survey questions, as well as the criteria for determining the presence or absence of mental illness, were based on a Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Special Report (Ditton, 1999). In this survey sample (S=421), approximately 58% of incarcerated adults identified themselves as mental ill (according to BJS criteria), a percentage significantly higher than the 16% reported by the BJS. Several possible reasons for the discrepancy …
The Interaction Of Age, Gender, And Race/Ethnicity On Juvenile Justice Decision Making In Nebraska: The Comparisons Of White, Black, Hispanic, And Native American, Dae-Hoon Kwak
Student Work
Although most research shows that the primary determinants of sentencing outcomes are the legally relevant factors such as the seriousness of the offense and prior criminal record, there is a substantial body of research examining the relationship between extra-legal factors (e.g. race, age, and gender), and sentencing outcomes. Most studies focus on direct effects of extra-legal factors on juvenile justice decision making rather than the interactions among them. The present study pursued two main goals: (1) testing the direct effects of age, gender, and race/ethnicity on juvenile justice decision making across four racial groups, and (2) exploring the interactive effects …
The Agenda-Building Effects Of Us Presidents: A Close Look At Us Presidents And Media Coverage Of Palestine, Linda Absy
The Agenda-Building Effects Of Us Presidents: A Close Look At Us Presidents And Media Coverage Of Palestine, Linda Absy
Student Work
The purpose of this study was to determine if U.S. news media coverage of Palestine, an international news issue, reflects agenda-building. All presidential discourse on Palestine in the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents and all articles in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Detroit Free Press that reference the same were counted and documented on a weekly basis for the years of 1993, 1994, 2001 and 2002. Once the amount of coverage was plotted, a closer look at five week spans during each year using qualitative content analysis determined if similar specific issues were discussed in presidential …
An Examination Of The Associations Between The Locations Of Probationers And Crimes: A City Block-Level Analysis, Stephanie A. Titus
An Examination Of The Associations Between The Locations Of Probationers And Crimes: A City Block-Level Analysis, Stephanie A. Titus
Student Work
This research will use adult probation data from the Douglas County Court Probation Office for 2000 and 2001 to evaluate the relationship between the locations of probationers and their possible effects on the amount of crime on residential city blocks in Omaha, Nebraska. The analyses will relate the probation data to the dependent variables that are based on the Part I Index Crimes obtained from the Omaha Police Department. The research will attempt to evaluate the effects of probationers on the amount of crime on city blocks and compare this with the effects of block-level characteristics and crime on the …
Colombia's Rural Communities: Displacement, Plan Colombia And Alternative Models, Jasney Cogua
Colombia's Rural Communities: Displacement, Plan Colombia And Alternative Models, Jasney Cogua
Student Work
The objective of this thesis is to determine whether or not Plan Colombia effectively addresses the problems and needs of rural Colombia. The classical views of Marx, Lenin and Chayanov, the Theories of Development and the postulates of neoliberal ideology are discussed as the theoretical context within which Plan Colombia emerged. This thesis was derived through a process of archival research, interviews (N=8) and direct observation and participation in peasant demonstrations, which occurred primarily during the summer of 2002. A general review of Colombian rural development models (haciendas, plantations, Import Substitution Industrialization, agrarian reform, Export Promotion Stragies and neoliberal postulates) …
Commercialism In Public Schools: A Study Of The Perceptions Of Teachers And Administrators On Accepting Corporate Advertising, Gerard Jude Kowal
Commercialism In Public Schools: A Study Of The Perceptions Of Teachers And Administrators On Accepting Corporate Advertising, Gerard Jude Kowal
Student Work
The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of teachers and administrators regarding the acceptability or unacceptability of corporate advertising in their schools, particularly about the acceptability or unacceptability of commercial advertising outside the school building, inside the school building, and inside the classroom.
The Determinants Of Policing Unfounding And Prosecutorial Case Rejections In San Diego, California Sexual Assault, Cases, Elizabeth M. Keller
The Determinants Of Policing Unfounding And Prosecutorial Case Rejections In San Diego, California Sexual Assault, Cases, Elizabeth M. Keller
Student Work
The vast amount of research that has been done on sexual assault in the past thirty years has yielded a great amount of knowledge about the phenomenon of sexual assault and the way the criminal justice system responds to it. One hypothesis that emerges from this literature is that certain cases of sexual assault may be treated differently by police and prosecutors because of characteristics of the victim, the suspect, or of the case itself. This study tests that hypothesis, using data collected by the San Diego Police Department’s Sex Crimes Unit over a multi-year period in the 1990s. This …
The Influence Of Mass Media Use On Individual Opinions Of Courts, Steven John Briggs
The Influence Of Mass Media Use On Individual Opinions Of Courts, Steven John Briggs
Student Work
This study analyses the influence of media consumption, specifically an individual's viewing of television and their reading of newspapers, on their perceptions of how the court system deals with suspected criminals during sentencing. Data are analyzed from the 1993 General Social Survey (GSS), which is a nationwide survey administered by the National Opinion Research Council (NORC) on a semi-annual basis. The variables related to mass media use are based on self-reporting. Two explanations, frequently cited in the criminal justice literature, the cultivation hypothesis (Gerbner et al., 1978) and Fiske’s (1986) and subcultural identities, also known as interpretive communities, will be …
The Decline Of Trust And Civic Engagement Since Alexis De Tocqueville's Democracy In America, Rebecca Jean Hannagan
The Decline Of Trust And Civic Engagement Since Alexis De Tocqueville's Democracy In America, Rebecca Jean Hannagan
Student Work
Since 1776 when the United States broke away from British colonial rule, Americans have considered themselves to be a profoundly free and equal people. When Alexis de Tocqueville toured the young nation in the 1830's he argued that a profusion of voluntary associations, egalitarian values, and a substantial and vibrant religious presence combined to make this fledgling country and unusually civic and participatory democracy. Despite our beginnings as a nation of joiners, Americans' engagement in political activity has fallen steadily. Voter turnout has been declining since the 1960's and polling data reflects a trend of distrust in government. As a …
For Richer For Poorer, In Debt Do Us Part? Debt Brought Into Marriage And Its Effect On Marital Quality, Michelle Mason
For Richer For Poorer, In Debt Do Us Part? Debt Brought Into Marriage And Its Effect On Marital Quality, Michelle Mason
Student Work
This study examines the impact of personal debt accumulated before marriage upon marital quality for individuals. Attention from popular media points to the need for further systematic investigation. This study strives to fill this void in academic research. I use the National Survey of Families and Households to conduct a longitudinal analysis of the effect of debt on marital quality for 433 respondents who were single in 1987-1988 (Wave I), and who were married in 1992-1994 (Wave II). Ordinary Least Squares regression was used to test several hypotheses. Social exchange theory provides theoretical guidance for the analysis. Exchange theory focuses …
The Impact Of The Cold War On Textbook Treatments Of American Constitutionalism, Matthew Heys
The Impact Of The Cold War On Textbook Treatments Of American Constitutionalism, Matthew Heys
Student Work
This study attempts to explore the impact, if any, of the surrounding social and political context on the high school civics curriculum, specifically its coverage of the Constitution and Bill of Rights. The research focuses specifically on the relationship between changes in Magruder's American Government and the onset of Cold War tensions between the Soviet Union and the United States.
Coping With Stressors Of Caregiving, Debra E. Allwardt
Coping With Stressors Of Caregiving, Debra E. Allwardt
Student Work
Individuals who take on the role of caregiving for a family member with Alzheimer’s disease face many simultaneous stressors. Effective coping with such stressors has profound implications for caregiver well-being and the ability to provide effective care. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of various coping strategies on caregiver depression, controlling for the effects other factors previously shown to be related to depression. Using data from interviews with 427 caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients, items derived from Endler and Parker’s Multidimensional Coping Inventory were factor analyzed to confirm the underlying structure. A five-factor structure was found to …
Modeling The Economic Costs Of A Terrorist Threat To A Large-Venue Public Facility, Gregory C. Ashley
Modeling The Economic Costs Of A Terrorist Threat To A Large-Venue Public Facility, Gregory C. Ashley
Student Work
Insurance companies will pay out an estimated $50 billion in claims as a result of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The enormous consequences of the attacks to both the local and national economy surprised many and have raised concerns about the cost of such events. Predicting the occurrence and economic cost of terrorist attacks is fundamentally different than predicting the occurrence and economic cost of natural disasters. The cost of natural disasters is more predictable and often can be accurately estimated using historical data. Even losses from typical kinds of crime such as burglary show predictable patterns. Both the …
Economic Sanctions As Instruments Of American Foreign Policy, Win K. Oo
Economic Sanctions As Instruments Of American Foreign Policy, Win K. Oo
Student Work
Throughout history, military and economic powers have used economic sanctions, blockades and boycotts as parts of their policies against other countries for many reasons. The United States is no exception. The United States uses economic sanctions as a foreign policy tool to pressure other countries for human rights violations, nuclear proliferation and aggressions and international terrorism. There is an assumption that economic sanctions imposed by the United States will become more and more effective because the United States has become more and more economically and militarily powerful after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The United States is a sole …
The Process Of Parental Choice In Choosing A General Elementary Program Or A District Magnet Program, Nila Jeannette Nielsen
The Process Of Parental Choice In Choosing A General Elementary Program Or A District Magnet Program, Nila Jeannette Nielsen
Student Work
The purpose of this study was to explore the process of parental choice when two educational programs were offered at one building site. This qualitative case study sought to determine if patterns exist in the parental choice process. Three main areas of (1) investigation, (2) decision-making and (3) verification were the focus of the study.
Male And Female Juvenile Delinquency: An Assessment Of Contextual Differences In Offending, Mark A. Cunningham
Male And Female Juvenile Delinquency: An Assessment Of Contextual Differences In Offending, Mark A. Cunningham
Student Work
This thesis examines data on gender and the incidence and prevalence of delinquent and criminal offending, as well as gender differences in the context of offending for a sample of high school students in Omaha, Nebraska. Context refers to the specific attributes of a particular offense, whose interrelationship describes both the features and the circumstances of the offense. A focus on gender differences in the context of offending highlights how gender impacts the structural and social conditions that are related to commission of delinquent and criminal acts, and the findings of this study underscore the importance of this research. Results …
The Effects Of Family Structure, Education, And Religion On Contraceptive Decisions By Women In Their Early Twenties, Brigid K. Howard
The Effects Of Family Structure, Education, And Religion On Contraceptive Decisions By Women In Their Early Twenties, Brigid K. Howard
Student Work
Using the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth, this study investigates the effects of family structure, education, and religion on contraceptive use by never-married women aged 20-24 years. Included in the sample are sexually active women aged 20-24 who had never been married and were not cohabitating, who were not intending to become pregnant or were not pregnant, postpartum, or infertile for reasons other than for contraception at the time of the interview. Results indicate that Hispanic origin is related to use of less effective methods of contraception by sexually active women. Conversely, family structure influences contraceptive decisions in that …