Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Evaluating The Effectiveness And Benefit-Cost Of Michigan Background Check Program Using Crime Opportunity Theory, Judith Brown Clarke

Dissertations

Elderly persons in long-term care settings are exceptionally vulnerable to abuse, neglect, and exploitation necessitating special protective measures by criminal justice, social services, and health care agencies. In 2006, 28.6% of Michigan households with a family member in long-term care reported that person having experienced one or more forms of abuse including physical, caretaking, verbal, emotional, neglect, sexual, and exploitation (Post, 2006). Criminal justice agencies were scrambling to identify programs aimed at reducing elder abuse in long-term care. Michigan was selected as one of seven states designated as a federal pilot test site. As a result, the Michigan Background Check …

Perceived Organizational Support And Ethical Work Climates As Predictors Of Turnover Intention Of Licensed Nurses In Skilled Nursing Facilities, Anna A. Filipova

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to replicate Victor and Cullen's (1987; 1988) studies to confirm whether ethical climates (ECs) arise in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), and whether organizations and groups within organizations have identifiable ECs; and (2) to test a model that examines the effects of ECs and perceived organizational support (POS) on licensed nurses' turnover intention (TOI) through job satisfaction (JS) and organizational commitment (OC).

A cross-sectional survey design was implemented. Three hundred and fifty nine freestanding SNFs were selected in a midwestern state. While a total of 110 facilities (31%) agreed to participate, responses were …

Nevada's Textbook Adoption Process: The State Perspective, Mitch Bishop, Katie Bliven, Scott Hess

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The process in Nevada used to select textbooks, the main tools for classroom instruction, is a complex web of various stakeholders and interactions. Ensuring that quality textbooks get into the hands of Nevada's teachers and students is the goal of the selection process. The main impediments affecting the selection process may be found in the structure of the process and how the stakeholders interact. In most cases, these interactions and responsibilities are dictated by state law and were established gradually over several years. While the current process functions to place textbooks in schools, it also shows great potential for improvement …

Collaborative Success And Community Culture: Cross-Sectoral Partnerships Addressing Homelessness In Omaha And Portland, Patrick T. Mcnamara

Student Work

This dissertation explores the impact of community culture on the success of cross-sectoral collaboratives addressing homelessness in Omaha, Nebraska, and Portland, Oregon. A comparative case study approach is used to build theory about how the environment helps to make conditions conducive or challenging to collaboration between government, business and nonprofit organizations. The concept of community culture is operationalized by including three interrelated factors - social capital, community power, and political history - to assess the two cities. Omaha is a model of a private sector community culture, high in bonding social capital, where central control of decision making and elite …

Information Technology Training In The Public Sector : Essential Planning Elements, Betty Jean Reynolds

Dissertations and Theses

Information technology (IT) has revolutionized the workplace and the provision of government services, and rapidity of change makes IT training essential. Planning, however, can be haphazard, and public sector training might not fulfill training needs. Elements that are essential to planning for the success of IT training in the public sector were identified from the literature: IT training organization structure/training provider, methods of IT training delivery, assessment of IT training needs, IT training expenditures, specific IT training needs, and strategies for improving IT training.

IT directors of Oregon state agencies and chief information officers (CIOs) of exemplar states were surveyed …

Global Civil Society Finding Collective Voice In Diversity, Kristen Marie Magis

Dissertations and Theses

The research question that forms the basis of this dissertation is: "What characteristics do members of Global Civil Society define as critical to the successful functioning of coalition processes designed to generate specific policy positions?" The dissertation's objective is to develop a canon of knowledge about these critical characteristics.

The relative lack of research on the question of the internal organization and operations of GCS coalitions necessitated the use of inductive methodology. Three sources of data were utilized; interviews with knowledgeable persons in Global Civil Society, a conference of GCS experts, and papers commissioned for the conference. The data were …

Community & Political Participation Of Municipal Employees: An Analysis Of The Community And Political Participation Of Municipal Employees In The City Of London, Jennifer Harmer

MPA Major Research Papers

This paper examines the types of community and political participation municipal employees favour and the effect of political activity regulations on participation based on a survey administered to public service employees in the City of London. The findings reveal that many municipal employees consider themselves to have a high amount of discretion in their duties and the commitment to public service transcends the workplace and translates into exceptional levels of participation in the community, but many are reluctant to engage in overt forms of political participation.

Attitudes Toward Public Health Funding: Results Of A Survey That Explored Differences In Support By Ontario Municipal Elected Officials For Local Public Health Programs, Elaine Reddick

MPA Major Research Papers

This paper examines the reluctance of municipal officials towards public health funding in Ontario based on a survey that aimed to determine if there was a difference in attitudes towards the municipal funding of public health by type of program. The findings reveal that while the respondents exhibited strong overall support for government funding of both types of programs, municipal politicians in Ontario showed a significant preference for committing municipal funds to protection-type programs than for promotion-type programs.

Differences In Population Growth: A Case Study Of Two Eastern Ontario Rural Municipalities, Beverly Kerby

MPA Major Research Papers

This paper examines the possible explanations for significant population growth in rural areas using case studies of two municipalities in Eastern Ontario: Centre Hastings, which has experienced substantial population growth, and Stirling-Rawdon, which has not. Population statistics for each municipality are analyzed and related to the physical landscape, local economy, and local governments. The findings reveal that possible reasons for why the population of Centre Hastings has increased significantly include the building ban in Stirling, the concentration of services in Centre Hastings as a result of amalgamation, lower tax rates and unemployment rates, and the benefits associated with the geographical …

Municipal Capital Works Projects: An Analysis Of Scheduling Delays And Cost Escalations, Doug Mackay

MPA Major Research Papers

This paper examines the primary reasons for the delays and cost overruns in municipal capital works projects in Ontario. Interviews with experts in municipal infrastructure projects – including employees from the municipal sector, the Ministry of the Environment, a conservation authority, and the Ministry of Transportation – were conducted. The findings reveal that there are numerous factors that have resulted in municipal capital works projects becoming increasingly difficult to deliver, but the primary factor was the introduction of the Environmental Assessment Act, which resulted in a lengthened schedule and added costs.

The Changing Paradigm Of Emergency Management : Improving Professional Development For The Emergency Manager, Robert Edward Grist

Dissertations and Theses

Throughout its short and remarkable history, emergency management has been subjected to a vast array of fast-moving and radical changes which have presented significant challenges to the men and women in this emerging profession. This study was designed to help determine the adequacy of their professional development to meet those challenges.

The study is framed within an environment where emergency managers face the pressure to professionalize; explore the world of risk, trust, and the distribution of power; confront revolutionary changes; and concern themselves with the social impact of disasters in their own communities. This study asks: "Do Emergency Managers feel …

From Prison To The Community : The Role Of Citizen Participation In Female Prisoner Reentry, Dana Roderick Torrey

Dissertations and Theses

Growing attention is being given to the design of programs for female prisoners to assist their successful reentry into the community upon the completion of their incarceration. However, current programs have been largely designed and implemented with the goal of seeking parolee compliance through mandatory rules and practices. Little emphasis is placed on preparing inmates to assume their duties as citizens and active participants in the lives of their community. In short, existing programs pay little attention to the importance of creating what I call for purposes of this study, “citizen participation”.

This study tests the importance of developing a …

City Of Boulder City Parks And Recreation Department Revenue Policy And User Fee Analysis, Karla Fritchman, Jayne Harkins, Cheryl Rodriguez

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Recreation user fees and facility rental fees provide sources of revenue for the City that comes directly from the beneficiary of the service instead of from the general fund. The term user fee will be used in this analysis and will refer to all types of fees and use charges paid by participants using recreation services or facilities.

There were four objectives for this analysis. The first was to determine if any Parks and Recreation Departments in the Las Vegas Valley had current revenue policies and to collect and compare user fees in the Las Vegas Valley against Boulder City …

Program Evaluation Report For: Nevada Child Seekers, Nori Evans, Raymond Keeler, Lisa Pletz

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

A program evaluation of the Nevada Child Seekers (NCS) organization was conducted from October 2006 through April 2007. The evaluation consisted of a qualitative assessment of the organization's volunteer recruitment and retention program. The evaluation was conducted by performing a series of interviews of staff and by conducting a web-based survey of available volunteers. Information gathered from the interviews and surveys was compared with benchmarking data from multiple scholarly and community sources.

City Of Las Vegas Municipal Court House Arrest Program Evaluation, Karen Coyne, Michele Hornstein, Timothy Shattler

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The City of Las Vegas operates a municipal detention facility, primarily housing offenders who have committed misdemeanor crimes within the 130 square miles of the Las Vegas City limits. Similar to many jurisdictions, within the State of Nevada, but also across the Country, the offender population is on the rise. The City’s inmate population has grown steadily at a rate of 10%, annually, for five years. This trend, when calculated as a future projection, suggests the City must be prepared for the misdemeanant population to swell from its current daily average of 1144 to more than 3000 inmates by the …

Network Analysis Of A Shared Governance System, Debra Reifman Whitall

Dissertations and Theses

This study contributes to the growing body of literature on the role of networks in creating efficacious systems of governance. In particular, this study considers if, in addition to network structure, two network characteristics, network social capital and network management, each have direct and indirect effects on network performance. Also considered are the combined effects of these three network characteristics on network performance. The findings of this study re-examine the relationship between network characteristics and performance, especially the influence of network structure on performance. Thus, this study has practical implications for policy makers regarding effective collaborative strategies.

This study used …

Impacts Of The Greenbelt Plan On The Agricultural Industry, Case Study: Town Of Erin, Wellington County, Robert Dwayne Evans

MPA Major Research Papers

This paper examines the impact of the Greenbelt Plan on the agricultural industry in the Greater Golden Horseshoe Area. An analysis of agricultural data from the 2001 Census and interviews with farmers living both within and outside of the Greenbelt Area in the lower-tier municipality of Erin were conducted. The findings reveal that the Greenbelt Plan does not have a negative impact on the agricultural industry in the Greater Golden Horseshoe and many participants cited the positive effects of the legislation.

Revitalizing Deteriorated Urban Neighborhood Real Estate Markets Through Concentrated Homeownership Development: Determining The Spillover Effects Of New Homes On The Value Of Surrounding Homes, Jerry Michael Hawkins

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Management

The promotion of homeownership opportunities represents an important approach used by localities to support the revitalization of deteriorated urban neighborhoods. Homeownership is associated with a variety of social and economic benefits to the homeowner including increased residential stability and equity accumulation. The introduction of new homeownership opportunities into a deteriorated urban neighborhood as part of local public policy is intended to capitalize upon the anticipated positive social and economic outcomes. Such new homeownership development also presents the opportunity to generate positive spillover effects on the adjacent existing properties in the neighborhood which may ultimately result in higher real estate tax …

The Potential Influence Of Motivation On The Decision To Stay Or Quit The Navy Delayed Entry Program: A Descriptive Analysis, Angela W. Cyrus

School of Public Service Theses & Dissertations

This study explored the influence of public service motivation on recruits' decisions to complete the Navy Delayed Entry Program and proceed to basic training, or to quit the program, having changed their minds about joining the Navy. The study was motivated by a problematic attrition rate, up to 25% in some instances, from the Navy Delayed Entry Program. Given the increased domestic and international demands placed on the U.S. military amidst significant political debate about the deployment of forces, military recruiting faces tough challenges in meeting its authorized personnel requirements. This study examined the intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and associated …

Urban Sustainability Through Green Building, Andrea Anzalone, Virginia Sawyer, Robert Woolsey

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This analysis is presented on urban sustainability through the use of "green building" in the City of Las Vegas, Nevada. This paper discusses the current practices used by the City of Las Vegas and compares them to the top 5 sustainable cities throughout the United States (as identified by the U.S. Green Building Council). Through comparison of nationwide initiatives and policies, this paper outlines recommendations the City of Las Vegas can adopt to increase their position as one of the leading sustainable cities.

The Theory Disconnect: Reconciling Theories Of Justice, Ethics, And Morality With The Practice Of Public Administration, Alexander Delorey

MPA Major Research Papers

This paper examines the disconnect between theories of good public administration and the actual practice of public administration. An analysis of the relationship between theory of all types and the practice of public administration – with a specific focus on the apparent discrepancy between theories of justice and the field – is conducted. The findings reveal that the on-the-ground practice of public administration is not governed by justice, ethics, and morality but rather by professional guidelines and norms.

Taking Shape: Implementing Citizen-Centric Local Digital Government In Western Australia, Deborah Jane Stanton

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Digital government, encompassing output-focused e-government (delivering services online) and outcomes-focused e-governance (developing ICT-enabled citizen interaction and participation) has been proposed as the next step in online interaction between government and its citizens. Local government is still coming to grips with providing a mechanism for implementation of both facets of digital government, particularly those of e-governance. The Local Digital Government Framework (LDGF) was developed in this study to incorporate the citizen-centric focus of e-governance, facilitating the move from the organisational, New Public Managementbased focus of e-government. The LDGF extends existing frameworks, providing continuity in the literature. It comprises a new conceptual …

How Revenue Sources Have Adjusted To Changes In State Appropriations At The Three New Jersey Public Research Universities From 1994-2003, Tsung Y. Soo Hoo

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Judicial Implementation Of The Revised Family Code In Addis Ababa, Tassew Shiferaw Gizaw

School of Public Service Theses & Dissertations

This study is concerned with the judicial implementation of the revised family code in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The revised family code pertains to the family courts of Addis Ababa which are situated at the lower level of government structure. These courts have a public mandate and are the legitimate public forums wherein to authorize the implementation of the provisions of the code. Open-ended interviews were conducted with judges, attorneys and people affiliated with gender advocacy institutions. The results show that the revised family code contains both strengths and weaknesses. The strengths include the observation that the application of the revised …

Analysis Of Determinants In Neighborhood Satisfaction Between Defended And Defensible Communities Within The General And Urban Housing Environments, David William Chapman

School of Public Service Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to provide a detailed examination and analysis of neighborhood satisfaction determinants among residents living within defended and defensible gated communities in the United States. The study considers whether there are significant differences in the determinants at national or regional levels and whether there are significant differences within the components of individual household characteristics, neighborhood quality characteristics, or both.

The theoretical framework and model for neighborhood satisfaction used with this study is based on a modified model of Lu's work on neighborhood satisfaction (1999, pp. 78-79) and residential mobility (1996) that were based on Speare's …

An Analysis Of The West Point Leadership And Command Programs Impact Upon Law Enforcement Leadership, Joseph Aloysius Devine

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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