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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Victim Advocates' Experiences Of Challenges And Opportunities In Supporting Children Of Homicide Victims, Ed Rahkeem Simmons
Victim Advocates' Experiences Of Challenges And Opportunities In Supporting Children Of Homicide Victims, Ed Rahkeem Simmons
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Homicide is a preventable public health issue that has detrimental effects for victims, witnesses, and the broader society. Although a number of studies have substantiated the adverse effects on children when a parent dies by homicide, few studies have addressed how critical the support of victim advocates is in minimizing the adverse effects. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine victim advocate professionals' experiences of challenges and opportunities in delivering services to children of homicide victims. Policy feedback theory was the theoretical framework for the study. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 victim advocate professionals who were members …
How Police Investigators View Credibility Of Victims Of Sexual Assault Crimes, Lakesha Richele Boone
How Police Investigators View Credibility Of Victims Of Sexual Assault Crimes, Lakesha Richele Boone
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Sexual assault is a sensitive topic, and research has become increasingly popular. Most literature focuses on stigma, attitudes, and perceptions that victims and law enforcement have about each other. Law enforcement officers are responsible for making charging decisions based on their investigations and ways by which they determine credibility and reliability of victims. It was unclear what criteria law enforcement officers use to ascertain relevant flaws in victim character and credibility. The purpose of this study was to explore how law enforcement officers evaluate credibility of sexual assault victims during investigations. The feminist legal, just world, and rape myth acceptance …
How Police Investigators View Credibility Of Victims Of Sexual Assault Crimes, Lakesha Richele Boone
How Police Investigators View Credibility Of Victims Of Sexual Assault Crimes, Lakesha Richele Boone
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Sexual assault is a sensitive topic, and research has become increasingly popular. Most literature focuses on stigma, attitudes, and perceptions that victims and law enforcement have about each other. Law enforcement officers are responsible for making charging decisions based on their investigations and ways by which they determine credibility and reliability of victims. It was unclear what criteria law enforcement officers use to ascertain relevant flaws in victim character and credibility. The purpose of this study was to explore how law enforcement officers evaluate credibility of sexual assault victims during investigations. The feminist legal, just world, and rape myth acceptance …
Exploring African American Experiences With Police In Cleveland, Ohio, Hamza Khabir
Exploring African American Experiences With Police In Cleveland, Ohio, Hamza Khabir
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
According to previous research, African Americans in Cleveland, OH, reported having more negative experiences with the Cleveland Police Department (CPD) than any other demographic in the city. Furthermore, The U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, determined that the CPD had regularly engaged in excessive force by police officers. This study's purpose was to understand African Americans' experiences in Cleveland regarding the CPD. This study's research question focused on African Americans' experiences in Cleveland and their relationship with the Cleveland police. The study used a general qualitative design to conduct interviews with 10 African Americans between the ages of 18 …
Social Networking As A Motivator For Social Gathering, Henrietta Abeley Abbey
Social Networking As A Motivator For Social Gathering, Henrietta Abeley Abbey
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
AbstractIn the United States, many activists use social media platforms to interact with protesters to organize demonstrations and protests rapidly. Some politically motivated social gatherings are organized online without the knowledge of government or law enforcement personnel. Gatherings can become violent and result in chaos. The purpose of this research is to determine the extent to which a variety of social media platforms contribute to New York City protesters and activists’ participation in demonstrations that potentially pose a threat to the community. The study involved a qualitative methodology explicitly focused on a phenomenological understanding of responses provided by activists and …
Optimizing Body-Worn Camera Usage For Desired Outcomes And Solutions, Andre Rodriguez
Optimizing Body-Worn Camera Usage For Desired Outcomes And Solutions, Andre Rodriguez
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Body-worn camera (BWC) use in the application of the law enforcement function has become a novelty during the last few years in the United States. BWCs are being implemented in localities without adequate research about community perceptions. Moreover, very few studies have been conducted about the perceptions of community members in a particular area about these devices. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to better understand the perceptions and beliefs of community members from different backgrounds about BWCs. The research questions entailed learning about current perceptions regarding BWCs and how these devices impact trust, safety, and accountability. Social …
Perceived Barriers To Minority Female Recruitment And Retention In Law Enforcement, Lucy Lyles
Perceived Barriers To Minority Female Recruitment And Retention In Law Enforcement, Lucy Lyles
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Representative bureaucracy indicates that police agencies should reflect the communities they serve to improve public perception of the agencies. An underrepresented population in U.S. law enforcement is minority females. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore participants’ lived experiences regarding perceived barriers to the recruitment and retention of minority females in U.S. law enforcement agencies. The study used theories of representative bureaucracy and intersectionality as frames. Data were collected from 15 survey responses and semi-structured interviews with minority female officers from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in Maryland. The data analysis included contingency tables and …
Key Ethical Leadership Characteristics Of State Police Promotional Candidates In The South, David Patrick Hay
Key Ethical Leadership Characteristics Of State Police Promotional Candidates In The South, David Patrick Hay
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Public officials, researchers, and practitioners agree police organizations need the proper tools to foster a stronger sense of ethical leadership to more effectively conduct police operations and work with communities. However, few researchers have investigated ethical leadership characteristics for police supervisors, and no research has been conducted to identify desired ethical leadership characteristics for state police supervisors in the southern United States. The purpose of this qualitative Delphi study was to determine the degrees of consensus and support of identified key ethical leadership characteristics for state police promotional candidates in the southern United States, using the theoretical framework of transformational …
Drug Control Officers' Perception Of Nigeria's Narcotics Control Policy, Olufemi Ajayi
Drug Control Officers' Perception Of Nigeria's Narcotics Control Policy, Olufemi Ajayi
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The Nigerian government’s cannabis prohibition policy has failed to achieve the suppression of supply and reduction of demand for drugs. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the policy implementation experiences of Nigeria’s drug control officers regarding Nigeria’s drug control policies. The theoretical foundation was social construction theory. Data were collected from reviews of public documents and in-depth interviews with 15 active or retired drug control officers. Data were sorted, organized, and coded through directed content analysis to identify themes. The themes that emerged included defective nature and content of the policy, poor policy implementation, and unfavorable …
Stress And Wellness Among Municipal Law Enforcement Officers In Southeastern Virginia, Russell Morgan Granderson
Stress And Wellness Among Municipal Law Enforcement Officers In Southeastern Virginia, Russell Morgan Granderson
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Municipal law enforcement officers contend with unique occupational stressors. They must overcome stress from their employing agency and the pressures that arise from performing their basic enforcement duties. This study was designed to examine how municipal law enforcement officers in southeastern Virginia perceived their agency's wellness policy and to determine what recommendations they had to improve the effectiveness of the current wellness policy. Lazarus and Folkman's theory of cognitive appraisal and coping served as the theoretical framework for the study. Qualitative inquiry was used to examine the perceptions of 15 purposively sampled law enforcement officer participants. The data were then …
A Correlational Examination Among Law Enforcement Officers' Operational Stress And Media Consumption, Patrick Schmucker
A Correlational Examination Among Law Enforcement Officers' Operational Stress And Media Consumption, Patrick Schmucker
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Twenty-first century technology advancements have made the consumption of law enforcement related information on different types of media platforms more accessible. There is a relationship among media consumption on various platforms (traditional, social, and entertainment) and the altering of societal and personal perceptions and behaviors. However, there is little to no research on whether media consumption alters a law enforcement officer's operational stress (OS). The purpose of this quantitative study was to fill this knowledge gap by exploring a sample of active duty law enforcement officers in South Carolina. Social learning and rational choice theories comprised the theoretical framework for …
Law Enforcement Seat Belt Use: Impact Of Policy And Phenomena On Use, Zach Loken
Law Enforcement Seat Belt Use: Impact Of Policy And Phenomena On Use, Zach Loken
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Studies show that seat belt use by law enforcement officers is estimated to be at 50%, well below the national average. The purpose of this study was to explore what may be leading to reduced seat belt use by law enforcement patrol officers while also determining if different types of policies effect the level of seat belt usage by this population. The theoretical framework used in this study was Shafritz, Ott and Jang's theory of organizational culture and change. This quantitative study was conducted using a casual, quasi-experimental design; the research questions focused on understanding what phenomena may be occurring …
Stress Preparedness For Law Enforcement Officers Via Academic Training, Matthew Ridgeway Burke
Stress Preparedness For Law Enforcement Officers Via Academic Training, Matthew Ridgeway Burke
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Most law enforcement officers experience a traumatic event within the first 3 years of duty but may not receive proper mental health training in the police academy to prepare them for a career in law enforcement, and little is understood about police academy training regarding mental health. Using secondary traumatic stress (STS) as a conceptual framework, the purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the perspective of law officers on the usefulness of academy training to prevent or manage mental health issues that may arise from law enforcement duty. Data were collected from 35 law enforcement officers in a …
Effects Of Cell Phone Cameras On Police Working Behavior, Michael J. Derek Mallett
Effects Of Cell Phone Cameras On Police Working Behavior, Michael J. Derek Mallett
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Recording police officers can result in distraction, fear, and false perceptions of law enforcement personnel when citizens upload the videos to social media, though little is understood about police perceptions of this phenomenon. Using evaluation apprehension theory, emotional labor theory, and emotional intelligence as the foundation, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the feelings and experiences of police officers recorded by citizens with cell phone cameras while working. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 police officers in the State of Indiana who were recorded with cell phone cameras. The data were transcribed, inductively coded, and …
Law Enforcement Formal Academic Educational Hiring Requirements And Deputy Sheriff Disciplinary Issues, Chase Dennis Wetherington
Law Enforcement Formal Academic Educational Hiring Requirements And Deputy Sheriff Disciplinary Issues, Chase Dennis Wetherington
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
There is a lack of research as to what impacts law enforcement disciplinary issues. This is important due to the recent emphasis of officer performance and accountability. In 2008, the Southeast Sheriff's Office (SSO) increased their formal academic educational hiring requirement from a high school diploma to 60 college credits. The impact of this increase has never been analyzed. The purpose of this study was to determine through the theoretical lens of Kohlberg's 6 stages of moral development if an increase in the formal academic educational requirement influenced the number of deputy sheriff disciplinary issues. A quantitative nonexperimental study was …
Effects Department Of Justice Investigations Have On Violent Crime And Arrest Rates, D. Scott Hoffman
Effects Department Of Justice Investigations Have On Violent Crime And Arrest Rates, D. Scott Hoffman
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
In 1994 Congress enacted the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which in part gave the Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division (DOJCRD) the power to investigate local law enforcement agencies for Constitutional and civil rights violations. Researchers have found these investigations are expensive, time consuming, and highly intrusive to a law enforcement agency. To understand how these investigations are impacting communities, data were gathered on cities with local law enforcement agencies that have experienced an investigation by the DOJCRD. Using a quasi-experimental, multiple time-series research design with a paired samples t-test, the dependent variables (violent crime and arrest …
Incident Traffic Management Respone, Debroah Lynn Leonard
Incident Traffic Management Respone, Debroah Lynn Leonard
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The North Carolina State Highway Patrol (NCSHP) and the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) are often called upon to assist in traffic incidents. Yet little systematic research has examined the extent to which these two agencies collaborate. This gap in understanding is problematic, as a lack of collaboration may result in significant delays in the clearing of traffic incidents. The purpose of this correlational study was to investigate circumstances when the two agencies collaborated in clearing major traffic incidents, and the efficiency of the clearance of the incidents, through the measurement of normal traffic flow. The theory of the …
Law Enforcement Officer Knowledge Of Mental Illness, Nashira Funn
Law Enforcement Officer Knowledge Of Mental Illness, Nashira Funn
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Media and activist groups have recently exposed the problem of negative interactions between law enforcement officers and civilians. Many of these civilians have a mental illness. Various researchers attribute these negative interactions to insufficient officer knowledge of mental illness due to a lack of training, education, and personal experiences. Very little research addresses how insufficient knowledge of mental illness may influence interactions. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and analyze self reported law enforcement knowledge using Malcolm Knowles' conceptualization of adult learning theory and andragogy as the theoretical framework. This framework bases self-directed learning/training on a needs …
Technology Distractions On Patrol: Giving Police Officers A Voice, Andrew David Dasher
Technology Distractions On Patrol: Giving Police Officers A Voice, Andrew David Dasher
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Distraction while using mobile technology devices such as a cell phone or tablet computer is a common occurrence within the civilian population of the United States. U.S. police officers are increasingly utilizing these types of devices within the patrol environment. However, little is known as to how distraction affects police officers while they interact with these devices in the course of their daily duties. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how officers process potential officer safety issues on patrol, while interacting with mobile technology, by questioning participants' perception of distraction. This was accomplished through a phenomenological paradigm …
Texas Sheriff Perceptions Of The Militia Movement, John F. Fisher
Texas Sheriff Perceptions Of The Militia Movement, John F. Fisher
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
With the election of President Barack Obama, the United States has seen a steady increase in the number of right-wing militia groups. The Southern Poverty Law Center and the Department of Homeland Security have claimed that the various militia groups are a dangerous domestic terrorism threat. Law enforcement perceptions of the threat that these militia groups pose served as the focus of inquiry in this multiple case study. These perceptions were explored through the theoretical frameworks of groupthink, Credulous Bayesianism, and nudge theory. A purposeful sample of 12 local sheriffs in Texas were interviewed in an attempt to identify common …