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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 Dec 2022

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 Teachers Perceive Educational Programs In Juvenile Justice Facilities: Case Study, Connie Faye Mitchell Dec 2022

How Teachers Perceive Educational Programs In Juvenile Justice Facilities: Case Study, Connie Faye Mitchell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to understand teachers’ perspectives of educational programs in juvenile justice facilities. This information is valuable in assessing the needs of incarcerated juveniles and strengthening the educational programs provided to them. This case study utilized John Dewey’s social learning theory, which states that learning occurs through social interactions and hands-on approaches. This theory supports the case study of the interactions between the students and teachers while they are participating in academic and career and technology education (CATE) courses. The study sought to answer the following question: What are the teachers’ perceptions of online learning, …


Utilizing Resilience And Persistence Strategies To Reduce African American Doctoral Attrition, Dudley Davis Dec 2022

Utilizing Resilience And Persistence Strategies To Reduce African American Doctoral Attrition, Dudley Davis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to explore the attrition rate of African American doctoral students and how to improve their retention and graduation using resilience and persistence. Across all disciplines, 40–60% of students who began doctoral programs did not persist to graduation (Falconer & Djokic, 2019; Mirick & Wladkowski, 2020). A semi-structured interview format was used to collect the data from 27 African American participants, 20 females and 7 males, who had already obtained their doctoral degrees. The study sought to explain the phenomenon of African American doctoral students who persevered to finish their degree, in spite …


The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Law Enforcement Protocols In Middle Appalachian States, Timothy W. Roberts Dec 2022

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Law Enforcement Protocols In Middle Appalachian States, Timothy W. Roberts

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The COVID-19 pandemic is changing the operational procedures of law enforcement organizations across the United States. The COVID-19 virus has forced police administrators to rethink strategies and procedures dealing with law enforcement’s multiple functions and roles in society. The pandemic is causing unprecedented challenges for law enforcement administrators to balance the organization’s priorities and the safety of officers under their command. The police functions are adapting to include personal protection to prevent the spread of the virus among the law enforcement community. This multiple case qualitative study aimed to show the immediate operational changes in law enforcement since the start …


Drug Evaluation And Classification Program: An Evaluation And Validation Study In The State Of Florida, Micah Moore Dec 2022

Drug Evaluation And Classification Program: An Evaluation And Validation Study In The State Of Florida, Micah Moore

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Over the past several decades, the fatality rates in traffic crashes related to drug-impaired driving have increased significantly. Specialized law enforcement officers are currently being deployed to help reduce the number of drug-related traffic crash fatalities and identify drugged impaired drivers. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) developed the drug evaluation and classification program (DECP) to certify law enforcement officers as drug recognition experts (DREs). An evaluation and validation study was conducted on the DECP in Florida. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the DECP in Florida to …


The Impact Of Covid-19 On The Mental Health Well-Being Among Staff Of A Domestic Violence Shelter, Tonisia Lynette Brown-Cotten Dec 2022

The Impact Of Covid-19 On The Mental Health Well-Being Among Staff Of A Domestic Violence Shelter, Tonisia Lynette Brown-Cotten

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitatively study via the Case Study approach was to recognize the impact that coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) had on the mental health of randomly selected female domestic violence shelters’ board members, staff, volunteers, and counselors and therapists. To guide this study, the theory of integrating existing knowledge of a topic generated an in-depth, multi-faceted understanding of a complex issue. The case study aimed to answer how COVID-19 impacted higher levels of stress, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress symptoms in the female gender. The study focused on the experiences of vicarious trauma (VT), secondary traumatic stress (STT), compassion …


Effectiveness Of Instructional Design And Technology In A Non-Traditional Parental Program: An Embedded Single Case Study, Sonja Loraine Howell Dec 2022

Effectiveness Of Instructional Design And Technology In A Non-Traditional Parental Program: An Embedded Single Case Study, Sonja Loraine Howell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study is to discover the effectiveness of the instructional design of an organization's current programs. The central research question was to determine how instructional design impacts the effectiveness of a nontraditional court-ordered parental instructional program. The theory guiding this study is Kearsley & Schneiderman’s engagement theory, as it structures interactions to facilitate collaboration in a project-based environment with a meaningful focus using instructional design. The methodology for analyzing this study includes Yin’s and Stake’s models to understand a profoundly complex social phenomenon and actual live program. This study gave intrinsic and extrinsic validity while researching …


The Correlates Of Right-Wing Extremism, Michael Damian Tucker Dec 2022

The Correlates Of Right-Wing Extremism, Michael Damian Tucker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Research into the correlates of right-wing extremism has been focused on the group level, mainly ignoring the individual right-wing extremist behaviors, characteristics, and traits. Although group milieu strongly affects the ideology of individuals, personal decisions making often comes from a combination of unique experiences, cognitive abilities and biases, and differences in individual traits. This biographical study aimed to examine the life course events of twenty-five individual right-wing extremists identifying common biological and circumstantial correlates among and between the subjects. By analyzing the different correlates, this study created a matrix that identifies the correlates for significance. The results of the analysis …


Let Them Be Little: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of The Experiences Of Kindergarten Teachers During An Era Of Educational Reform, Rachel Denise Whites Dec 2022

Let Them Be Little: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of The Experiences Of Kindergarten Teachers During An Era Of Educational Reform, Rachel Denise Whites

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences and perceptions of kindergarten teachers who taught through an era of federally mandated, standards-based educational reforms. This study was guided by two theories as each contributes to an explanation as to how educational reform has strayed far from the central purpose for kindergartens. Piaget’s theory of cognitive development sought to explain how a child constructs a mental model of the world and postulated that there are four distinct stages of human development from birth to adulthood. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory stated that children learn through play and the …


Implicit Bias In The U.S. Air Force Criminal Justice System And The Excessive Punishment Of Black Airmen, Brandon Lanier Dinkins Dec 2022

Implicit Bias In The U.S. Air Force Criminal Justice System And The Excessive Punishment Of Black Airmen, Brandon Lanier Dinkins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand whether implicit bias influenced disproportionate commander-imposed punishment of junior ranking Black Airmen from grades E1–E4 who previously served on active duty in the U.S. Air Force. The theory guiding this study is the implicit bias theory introduced by psychologists Mahzarin Banaji and Anthony Greenwald in 1995. This theory identifies that attitudes, perceptions, and stereotypes shape specific groups' associations and qualities, which can influence decisions. This qualitative study employed a hermeneutic phenomenology research design. This study used snowballing and purposeful sampling methods to recruit 16 participants. Data within this study was …


How Police Chaplains Can Facilitate Building And Maintaining Trust With Law Enforcement: Through The Ministry Of Presence, Marjorie Abrahams Dent Dec 2022

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 …


Organizational Factors Influencing Campus Law Enforcement Agencies Belonging To Professional Accrediting Bodies, Jamie Adam Gauthier Dec 2022

Organizational Factors Influencing Campus Law Enforcement Agencies Belonging To Professional Accrediting Bodies, Jamie Adam Gauthier

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Accreditation in campus law enforcement agencies is considered a modality of professionalism in the industry. The use of accreditation requires a voluntary approach to implement industry standards, policies, procedures, and best practices, while being scrutinized by an accreditation team. Law enforcement leaders frequently review a management strategy to professionalize the policing industry, although, without accreditation in place, the methodology is based on prior trial and errors of the past. Using a quantitative nonexperimental research design, this study aims to examine the implementation of accreditation within campus law enforcement agencies. With a nationally representative sample, a research question addressing the factors …


Police Promotions And Assignments: Understanding Law Enforcement Officers’ Experiences With Particularism, John Leo Glasser Iii Oct 2022

Police Promotions And Assignments: Understanding Law Enforcement Officers’ Experiences With Particularism, John Leo Glasser Iii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to have police officers describe how they experience, understand, and navigate within their agency as it relates to their decisions to assign and promote police personnel within the scope of particularism in New Jersey. The conceptual framework guiding this study was the debate between researchers, and industrial-organizational psychologists who have reached opposing viewpoints on whether particularism and similar practices are beneficial or detrimental in the organizational context. Three research questions guided this study: 1) How do police officers describe their experiences with their agency as it relates to their agencies' decisions to …


Examining Associations Between Servant Leadership, Job Burnout, And Job Satistfaction In The Iowa Probation And Parole Job Profession, Alfredo Rodriguez Ordaz Oct 2022

Examining Associations Between Servant Leadership, Job Burnout, And Job Satistfaction In The Iowa Probation And Parole Job Profession, Alfredo Rodriguez Ordaz

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The following research paper investigated the associations between servant leadership, job burnout, and job satisfaction in the Iowa probation and parole profession. There is extensive literature examining job burnout and job satisfaction in many disciplines, including the field of corrections. Leadership literature examining the servant leadership model remains limited. The leadership literature suggests that probation and parole agencies operate through a traditional paramilitary command and control hierarchy of strict adherence to rules, policies, and procedures. The importance and significance of this study are that it examined the extent to which probation and parole leaders practiced and engaged in servant leadership …


Incarcerated Mothers And Their Children's Caregivers: How Their Relationship Impacts The Mother-Child Relationship, Jodi Simmons Ford Oct 2022

Incarcerated Mothers And Their Children's Caregivers: How Their Relationship Impacts The Mother-Child Relationship, Jodi Simmons Ford

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Mass incarceration has impacted much of the population in the United States over the last several decades. One of the most significantly impacted groups is women. Over half of incarcerated women are mothers. Mothers are typically the primary caregiver of their children at the time of their incarceration, and most want to maintain a relationship and have contact with their children throughout their incarceration. However, the children’s caregiver controls their relationship and contact with their incarcerated mother. The primary purpose of this research was to examine how the incarcerated mother’s relationship with her children’s caregiver impacts her relationship with her …


Managing Student Misbehavior Through A Restorative Approach: A Phenomenological Study, Michael Preston Christie Sep 2022

Managing Student Misbehavior Through A Restorative Approach: A Phenomenological Study, Michael Preston Christie

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative, transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the perceptions of alternative education teachers in utilizing a restorative approach to managing student behaviors at a small, rural school district in north Florida. Gordon’s (1981) theory on Teacher Effectiveness Training (TET) steered this study in investigating the research questions central to this study: (1) What are the experiences of alternative education teachers in using a restorative approach for addressing student behaviors? (2) How have these experiences shaped the teacher-student relationship? (3) What are the professional development needs of alternative education teachers to improve the restorative practices experience? Through …


A Quantitative Research Study On Probability Risk Assessments In Critical Infrastructure And Homeland Security, Alfred B. Lee Sep 2022

A Quantitative Research Study On Probability Risk Assessments In Critical Infrastructure And Homeland Security, Alfred B. Lee

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation encompassed quantitative research on probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) elements in homeland security and the impact on critical infrastructure and key resources. There are 16 crucial infrastructure sectors in homeland security that represent assets, system networks, virtual and physical environments, roads and bridges, transportation, and air travel. The design included the Bayes theorem, a process used in PRAs when determining potential or probable events, causes, outcomes, and risks. The goal is to mitigate the effects of domestic terrorism and natural and man-made disasters, respond to events related to critical infrastructure that can impact the United States, and help protect …


Improving Inattentiveness Through Asymmetric Tonic Neck Reflex Integration Exercises: A Quantitative, Quasi-Experimental Study, Arrin Christine Brummett Sep 2022

Improving Inattentiveness Through Asymmetric Tonic Neck Reflex Integration Exercises: A Quantitative, Quasi-Experimental Study, Arrin Christine Brummett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental study was to understand the difference in the posttest detectability scores, as measured by the Conners Kiddie Continuous Performance Test 2nd edition, among early childhood students participating in various activity types, including ATNR integration exercises, running exercises, or sedentary work, when controlling for pretest detectability scores at schools in rural north Texas using a nonequivalent control-group, pretest-posttest design. This study built on the theory of structural cognitive modifiability and helped to expand research regarding the impact of a specific type of physical activity, namely asymmetric tonic neck reflex integration exercises, on focal inattentiveness, a …


Exploring The K-12 School Experiences That Contribute To Resilience In Adulthood As Described By Resilient Adults With Adverse Childhood Experiences: A Phenomenology, Susannah Wyndi Bradley Aug 2022

Exploring The K-12 School Experiences That Contribute To Resilience In Adulthood As Described By Resilient Adults With Adverse Childhood Experiences: A Phenomenology, Susannah Wyndi Bradley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to describe the K-12 school experiences that contributed to resilience in adulthood for individuals with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). The theory guiding this study is Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs as it explains how students’ achievement and engagement in learning, as well as their barriers to the same are related to students’ unmet basic needs, the pursuit of safety, and feelings of fear and mistrust. The research questions will explore how resilient adults with ACEs describe the K-12 classroom experiences that contributed to their resilience in adulthood, the classrooms where they were …


A Transcendental Phenomenology To Understand The Persistence Of African American Males At A Historically Black Liberal Arts College, Jill Triplett Ellis Aug 2022

A Transcendental Phenomenology To Understand The Persistence Of African American Males At A Historically Black Liberal Arts College, Jill Triplett Ellis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the experiences that contributed to the persistence of African American males at a historically Black college. The problem was that the percentage of 18- to 24-year-old African American males enrolled in the nation's colleges and universities over the past two decades has been lower than the rates of White and Hispanic men and women, as well as African American women. The guiding theory in this study was Tinto's persistence theory. This transcendental phenomenological study aimed to obtain individual living experiences of African American male students enrolled in a historically Black, …


Leadership Qualities Needed For A School-Based Police Chief, Tridung Tran Aug 2022

Leadership Qualities Needed For A School-Based Police Chief, Tridung Tran

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Although it has evolved over the years, school-based law enforcement remains vital in a school setting for safety and security. The dynamic of school-based law enforcement has been heavily researched through the popular crime prevention program called School Resource Officer. The introduction of police officers in schools’ thrusts law enforcement’s reputation, abilities, and authority into the spotlight. Limited studies have shown the unique leadership qualities needed to lead a school-based law enforcement agency. Police chief qualification is dependent on the law enforcement agency’s requirements and expectations and often requires years of experience and education. Further, there are excellent police chief …


Middle And High School Resource Officers’ Perceptions Of Zero-Tolerance Policies’ Impact On Economically Disadvantaged Minority Students: A Multicase Study, Ashley Simone Proctor Aug 2022

Middle And High School Resource Officers’ Perceptions Of Zero-Tolerance Policies’ Impact On Economically Disadvantaged Minority Students: A Multicase Study, Ashley Simone Proctor

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this multicase study was to understand school resource officers’ (SROs’) perceptions of zero-tolerance policies’ impact on economically disadvantaged minority middle and high school students in 10 North Carolina public schools. The theory guiding this study was Gibbs’s deterrence theory because deterrence ideals are the basis of exclusionary disciplinary policies. The theory states that punishment reduces crime or, as it relates to zero tolerance, reduces the likelihood of discipline infractions. The central question for the current research was “How does the implementation of zero-tolerance policies promote or deter the disciplinary referrals of minority and economically disadvantaged students through …


Exploring African American Males' Experiences With Police In Southern California: A Phenomenological Study, Barbara R. Ray Aug 2022

Exploring African American Males' Experiences With Police In Southern California: A Phenomenological Study, Barbara R. Ray

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Black males are treated unfairly and killed more by law enforcement than any other group. The current study sought to explore how Black males in San Bernardino County, CA, describe their lived experiences with law enforcement as framed by the tents of critical race theory. To achieve this aim, a phenomenological research study was conducted, using semistructured interviews with Black males. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The key themes identified included (a) centrality of bias in experiences negatively shaped regard of police, (b) as tools, body-worn cameras do little to increase security or legitimacy, (c) limited interactions-limited law …


Cognitive Abilities Of Criminal Justice Leaders, Dustin Joe Addison Aug 2022

Cognitive Abilities Of Criminal Justice Leaders, Dustin Joe Addison

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this applied study was to help in the understanding of how stress has a significant impact on criminal justice leadership. The research design with the applied study was multimethod. The multimethod design correlated interviews, surveys, and archival data to understand the correlation between stress events and perceived cognitive abilities. The central questions within this study were related to prolonged exposure to high stress and whether criminal justice leaders have a lower cognitive ability than those not exposed to high-stress situations. With the malleability of the human brain allowed by neuroplasticity, do criminal justice leaders have altered abilities …


A Phenomenological Study Examining The Experiences Of Public School Teachers Who Provide Support For Chronically Absent Students At The Elementary School Level, Robert Lenn Ralston Aug 2022

A Phenomenological Study Examining The Experiences Of Public School Teachers Who Provide Support For Chronically Absent Students At The Elementary School Level, Robert Lenn Ralston

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the experiences of public schoolteachers who provided support for chronically absent students at the elementary school level. The theory guiding this study is Ryan and Deci's (1980) self-determination theory (SDT). The SDT explains extrinsic and intrinsic motivation sources and their roles in social development through three general constructs: competence, autonomy, and relatedness. A screening survey was used to identify 12 elementary teachers from different schools in the southeastern United States who have taught children who were chronically absent. Data was collected through individual interviews, four focus groups, and an e-mailed …


A Quantitative Study On Officer Proactivity Before And After Body-Worn Cameras Using Archived Data, Jessica Renee Smith Jul 2022

A Quantitative Study On Officer Proactivity Before And After Body-Worn Cameras Using Archived Data, Jessica Renee Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study aimed to determine if traffic stops and self-initiated activities for first-line patrol officers, from a large police agency in the Southern United States, decreased after body-worn cameras (BWCs) were issued. Additionally, this study attempted to determine if there was an effect on the crime rate after the cameras were issued. Body-worn cameras have been considered as a device to improve police-citizen relationships. While numerous studies find the cameras useful; some drawbacks regarding the BWCs are beginning to surface. The importance of this study will allow department leaders to make certain that body-worn cameras are adding value and …


A Phenomenological Examination Of Probation Officers' Perception On Black Female Ex-Offenders Transition And Successful Reentry Into Society, Anita Michelle Bryant Jul 2022

A Phenomenological Examination Of Probation Officers' Perception On Black Female Ex-Offenders Transition And Successful Reentry Into Society, Anita Michelle Bryant

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of probation officers who provided supervision in a reintegration program for post-release Black female offenders concerning their efforts to reduce recidivism. The feminist theory guided this research study, as it shed light on the barriers encountered by female offenders in the United States and expounded how they were specifically unique from the barriers faced by male offenders. The research questions were: what are probation officers’ perceptions of how reentry programs contribute to Black female ex-offenders’ successful transition back into the community, what are the probation officers’ perceptions of how …


Teacher Beliefs In Title I Schools Compared To Teacher Beliefs In Nontitle I Schools, Tammy Rene Nolan Jun 2022

Teacher Beliefs In Title I Schools Compared To Teacher Beliefs In Nontitle I Schools, Tammy Rene Nolan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this multiple case study was to discover and compare teacher beliefs of elementary teachers in Title I schools to elementary teachers in Non-title I schools. Two theories guided this study, Kegan’s Constructive Development Theory (CDT) and Bandura’s Theory of Self-Efficacy. Together the two theories provided a framework for how adults think and form beliefs that influence their decisions and behaviors. This qualitative research sought to answer the following questions: What do elementary teachers in Title I schools believe about themselves as teachers, compared to what elementary teachers in Nontitle I schools believe about themselves as teachers? What …


Gender Differences In Views Of Vice: A Comparative Phenomenology Of Prostitution And Human Sex Trafficking, Sean Jeremy Mcknight Jun 2022

Gender Differences In Views Of Vice: A Comparative Phenomenology Of Prostitution And Human Sex Trafficking, Sean Jeremy Mcknight

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study explored the topic of human trafficking with a focus on the perspectives of local law enforcement officers located in California, Florida, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine officers’ perceptions relating to the under-identification of sex trafficking victims and the victim-centered approach to human trafficking. The problems addressed in this study are that the identification of victims of human trafficking has not been effective, under-identification has long been a problem, and victims are undercounted. The theory guiding this study is Leon Festinger’s theory of cognitive dissonance, as officers …


Are Ems Prepared To Respond To A Pandemic Or Bioterrorist Attack?, Douglas Howard Schneider May 2022

Are Ems Prepared To Respond To A Pandemic Or Bioterrorist Attack?, Douglas Howard Schneider

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The 2019 Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic increased America’s awareness of the amount of death and damage to the economy that pandemics and bioterrorism can cause. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic exposed significant shortfalls in national preparedness for a pandemic or bioterrorism event. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the current preparedness level of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel in the United States to prepare for, respond to, mitigate, and recover from a natural or manufactured pandemic across the United States. The significance of this study is an accurate picture of preparedness for pandemic and bioterrorism events by American EMS systems. …