Digital Commons Network^™

Revving Up Or Stalling Out? Examining The Effectiveness Of Electric Vehicles In Combating Climate Change, Meghan E. Miller Termat

Villanova Environmental Law Journal (1991 - )

No abstract provided.

Legislative Framework And Regulatory Policy Impacts On The Mining Industry In Ghana, Najat Jawula

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ghana’s legislative framework and regulatory policies play a crucial role in the mining industry, particularly in ensuring compliance and addressing socioeconomic and environmental challenges. However, despite the presence of various regulatory policies, challenges within the existing framework led to inadequate compliance with mining laws, negatively affecting development and the environment. Previous research has primarily focused on the environmental impacts of mining, with limited studies examining the regulatory framework, policy impacts, and the well-being of the community. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the challenges in the current legislative framework and regulatory policies from the perspectives of …

Collaboration Through Trust Building: Building Trust Among Racialized And Stigmatized Nonprofits, Shariq Siddiqui, Abdul Samad, Rafeel Wasif

Public Administration Faculty Publications and Presentations

Nonprofits collaborate to resolve common issues while improving program effectiveness and reducing replication. These collaborations can be critical for minority nonprofits in resolving their common problems. However, while literature often looks at nonprofit organizations working with the government or other organizations, it does not focus on how minority nonprofits can collaborate better with other minority organizations. Using Muslim American nonprofits as a case study, we understand better how trust can be built between nonprofits belonging to marginalized communities. We focus on the Community Collaboration Initiative, a three-year third-party-facilitated collaboration effort among Muslim-American nonprofits. Overall, Interpersonal relationships, organizational learning, and positive …

Community-Oriented Policing In A Majority-Black Neighborhood: In Search Of A Local Solution To A National Problem, Nasaskyia R. Hicks, Shanada Mcfadden, Natallia Sianko

Transforming Communities

Few issues loom larger today than how the United States can rehabilitate its criminal justice system. Although justified and undoubtedly timely, the national focus often shifts attention away from local, interpersonal, and community processes that shape how criminal justice is administered and experienced differently in communities across the country. Our goal is to contribute to the national conversation on community-oriented policing and social innovation to improve police-community relations and increase public trust in majority-Black neighborhoods. This article offers a call to action for the scientific and policy communities to reflect on effective practices that bring the voices of local stakeholders …

Bridging The Gap Between Muslim Students And School Leadership In The United States, Sahar Khawaja

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Entering the third decade of the 21st century, the political landscape in the United States presents a challenging environment for Muslims, mirroring the global trend of oppression and discrimination faced by this community (Neptune, 2021). Despite being the fastest-growing demographic in the nation (Lipka, 2017), Muslim Americans increasingly encounter discrimination. By actively addressing and dismantling these stereotypes, educators can cultivate an inclusive environment where the needs of Muslim students are understood and respected. Understanding the stories and experiences of these students is vital for school leaders, as it enables the creation of an environment where every student feels a genuine …

Empowering Educators, Transforming Futures: An Explanatory Multiple Case Study Of The Smou Schools In Saudi Arabia, Hana Ali Alzandi Alghamdi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 emphasizes educational reform as a critical pathway for national development, highlighting the role of educators in fostering student success. The Smou program, a professional development initiative, seeks to enhance the instructional and leadership capacities of school leaders and teachers in elementary public schools. This study explores how school leaders navigate their role in supporting teachers’ application of Smou program strategies and how teachers perceive their preparation for implementing these strategies in their instructional practices. Using an explanatory multiple case study approach, the research explores two elementary schools in the Mecca region—one high-performing and one low-performing—selected based …

H.B. 22-1326: Analysis Of Colorado’S Fentanyl Policy, William Morris

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

Fentanyl is one the most potent drugs on the market, its synthetic nature makes it is one of the deadliest at the lowest quantities. Many of its injectors are entirely unaware of its existence when they consume cocaine, methamphetamine, Xanax, ecstasy, and heroin. Nationwide and within Colorado, the use of synthetic fentanyl has perpetuated a crisis that threatens the health and safety of numerous communities, with both fatal and non-fatal overdoses continually on the rise. In 2022, Colorado passed H.B. 22-1326, aimed at curbing fentanyl deaths and non-fatal overdoses, by further criminalizing fentanyl possession. Understanding the effectiveness of felony-heavy drug …

An Examination Of Early Termination From Trauma-Focused Treatment For Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Literature Review And Mixed Methods Study Proposal, Laura M. Lathrop

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

The high rate of early termination from evidence-based, trauma-focused psychotherapy treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) impedes maximum benefit from trauma-focused treatment, making it an on-going concern for clinicians. This paper consists of a literature review regarding the problem of early termination from evidence-based, trauma-focused treatment for PTSD in adults. It then proposes a mixed methods study to investigate re-engaging veterans in trauma-focused PTSD treatment, analyzing completion rates, and evaluating participants’ experience using qualitative interviews.

Public Surveillance And Human Rights: The Chilling Effect Of Surveillance Technologies And Legal Debates In Europe, Anna Calabrese

Graduate Research Conference (GSIS)

The rapid advancement and intense deployment of surveillance technologies pose a profound threat to fundamental human rights and render the balance between national security and rights and freedoms guarantees even more challenging. This paper interrogates the menace that digital tracking such as IMSI-catchers and other sophisticated tools represent to contemporary democracies with a specific focus on their potential to introduce a “chilling effect” to deter individuals in political and social communities from exercising their freedoms of speech, expression, association, thereby endangering the core values of all democracy. This analysis offers an overview of the state-of-the-art in Europe and highlights recent …

Probation Officer Perspectives Of Rehabilitation Programs In The Federal Bureau Of Prisons, Brandon Christopher Harper

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to better understand the federal probation officer's perspective of rehabilitation programs in the federal bureau of prisons. The following research question provided a guide: What are federal probation officers' perspectives regarding the success of rehabilitation programs offered in the federal bureau of prisons? Semi structured interviews were conducted with 10 employees of a federal probation office located in the southern United States. Interviews were conducted using Zoom and audio-recorded and transcribed to text files for thematic analysis. The main findings in this study included the need to tailor programs for prisoners to …

An Assessment Of Virginia's Temporary Detention Order Process: Impacts On Public Services Delivery And Stakeholders, Teresa Gale Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Stakeholders contend Virginia’s public system of mental healthcare lacks adequate access to services, and its temporary detention order process contributes to undue burden on individuals, state and private hospitals, and law enforcement. The purpose of this applied study was to analyze Virginia’s mental healthcare system to identify factors that can be altered and best practices that can be implemented to improve care for citizens admitted under temporary detention orders. The study did this through triangulation of data collection methods including archival dataset analysis, secondary document analysis, and semi-structured interviews. Additionally, the study examined the literature and offered suggestions for best …

State-Based Law Enforcement Accreditation Outcomes: A Multiple Case Study In Texas, Thomas L. Sanders

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The 21st century has brought new challenges to the nation’s law enforcement organizations, with agencies having to achieve a higher service standard to meet society’s demand for transparency, responsiveness, and justice. Prompted by presidential task force recommendations in 2015 and 2020, law enforcement agencies have sought methods to raise their organizational standards to build trust and legitimacy of policing in their communities. Based on federal guidelines, the accreditation of law enforcement agencies and implementation of the best practices in law enforcement throughout the nation have taken root in American policing. On a national level, the Commission on Accreditation for Law …

Parameters Spring 2025, Usawc Press

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

Welcome to the Spring 2025 issue of Parameters. This issue consists of an In Focus special commentary, three forums (Russia, Ukraine, and NATO; Strategic Competition and Managing National Security; and Joint Sustainment Strategies), the regular Civil-Military Relations Corner installment, and a review essay.

Nonstationary Heterogeneous Panels With Multiple Structural Changes, Badi H. Baltagi, Qu Feng, Wei Wang

Center for Policy Research

Nonstationary panels have been widely used in empirical studies in macroeconomics and finance. This paper considers multiple structural changes in nonstationary heterogeneous panels with common factors. Kapetanios, Pesaran, Yamagata (2011) showed that unobserved nonstationary factors can be proxied by cross-sectional averages of observable data. This means that unobserved error factors can be treated as additional regressors, and different break points in slopes and error factor loadings can be considered as multiple breaks in linear regression models with panel data. We generalize the least squares approach by Bai and Perron (1998) to nonstationary panels and show that the break points in …

Measuring Interoperability Within Nato: Adapted Off-The-Shelf Or Bespoke Solution?, John R. Deni, Matthew R. Macleod, Sarah E. Stewart, Katherine M. Banko, Adrian Jones

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

Despite decades of work on interoperability, NATO Allies cannot measure, assess, and build upon it fully and accurately. The lack of agreed formats or standards for collection, management, and the communication of findings have prevented the Allies from developing common interoperability measurement and assessment tools. Nonetheless, NATO could adopt extant standards, methodologies, processes, or tools to achieve its interoperability objectives. Testing this notion through use cases, the authors identify practical and conceptual hurdles to adopting an off-the-shelf solution. They conclude that the Alliance may need to create assessment standards, methodologies, processes, and tools from scratch, despite the difficulties of doing …

The Importance Of Keeping The Constitutional Foundation Strong, Ellie Shoemaker

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

A house with a weak foundation will inevitably fall. Foundations are essential to the rise and longevity of everything built. From architecture to ideas, governments are no different. They need strong foundations to guide laws and to shape the nation’s future. America’s foundation is its Constitution; it is the cornerstone for the Liberty American citizens enjoy and the Justice system that maintains law and order, it outlines what the founding fathers desired for the country, laying down the framework for the rights of citizens for generations to come. Every law must align with the Constitution as it continues to provide …

5 Keys To Global Dominance: ​ Examining China's Strategic Resources​, Zachary Renner, Grace Marie Farina, Grant Alexander Fellers, Jolie B. Hewitt, Samuel Truth Lemire, Reagan Grace Jones, Madolyn Sara Moore, Anya Veinberg, Gavin Dawit Sweeney

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

The People’s Republic of China has become a significant international power by waging a form of unrestricted warfare on the United States and other Chinese competitors. Admiral John Arbuthnot Fisher believed controlling five key straights would give a nation global dominance. In the 21st century, international cooperation has created an environment where a nation must possess more than a geostrategic monopoly to control the world. Following Admiral Fisher’s philosophy, this paper looks at five key areas of interest that a nation would need to control to secure dominance. Simultaneously, it will discuss how the PRC attempts to control these areas …

A Modern Strategy To Combat Pornography, Dennis Izhboldin

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

In keeping up with 2025’s Public Policy Conference theme, “Legacy of Freedom,” it would be beneficial to discuss the importance of freedom from addiction, especially related to pornography. The purpose of this essay is to assess the political feasibility of sweeping prohibitions on the access of pornography. To aid in the development of the essay, research was conducted which consisted of utilizing academic reports documenting the consequences of pornography on both its consumers and those featured in sexual scenes to set a background for the paper as well as survey data exploring public sentiment towards pornography and potential restrictions on …

Sex And Labor Trafficking In Cambodia, Kaeli Rasnake

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

Human trafficking affects some forty-nine million men, women, and children, with twenty-nine million within the Asian and Pacific region trapped in a web of forced labor, sexual exploitation, and coerced marriage. Human trafficking is now one of the world’s most lucrative organized crimes, generating more than $150 billion a year. Southeast Asia is a particularly vulnerable region, where weak enforcement mechanisms, poverty, and cross-border mobility create fertile ground for trafficking networks. Cambodia has been designated as a tier 3 nation in this region by the U.S. Department of State due to widespread issues of labor and sex trafficking. Tier 3 …

Verify And Protect: Guarding Children From Online Pornography, Adam Opp

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

The growing rate of children in the United States being exposed to pornography and its negative consequences on their development necessitate action to protect them from the evils of pornography. While federal and state governments have legal barriers surrounding pornography and obscenity, options remain for children to access pornographic content. Research suggests that more children are viewing pornography at younger ages, which has detrimental effects on their development and holistic well-being. Several policy options exist to mitigate pornography access to children, and this paper will specifically analyze options to be implemented by the state of Maryland, which could serve as …

The Reapplication Of Natural Law, Dylan Coombs

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

This research seeks to analyze the constitutional crisis our nation is facing and provide a specific remedy. More precisely, this paper will examine what the public policy implications are of Judges returning to natural law originalism. The two policy recommendations that will be argued for are stronger natural law jurists picked by the President, and a more rigorous confirmation process by the Senate Judiciary Committee. The central research question is, will nominating judges who hold a natural law jurisprudence produce a more logically consistent jurisprudence than originalism when interpreting the constitution?

Energy Security: Exploring Opportunities For The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (Imec) And Italian/Eu/Nato Efforts To Foster Collaboration With Africa, Devin Burnat, Mary Prentice Ph.D., Umberto Bosna

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

This research demonstrates the strategic importance of the port of Trieste located in northern Italy, overlooking the Adriatic Sea to energy security, trade, global infrastructure investments, and international collaborations. This port has become an important maritime gateway of Central and Eastern Europe and it can serve to connect India in Asia, and the Middle East. The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), connects India, the Middle East, and Europe, in Northern-Eastern Italy. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni envisions Trieste as a strategic hub to advance Italy’s interests across the Mediterranean and Europe, aligning with the Mattei Plan for Africa and potential ties …

Preventing Inevitable Decline: The Message Plato And The Roman Empire Send To The American People, Emma G. Dayton

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

Plato’s Theory of Inevitable Decline outlined heavily in his Republic provides the basis for this paper. One can compare his theory to several governments throughout history, such as the Roman Empire. By examining the Roman Empire, one identifies three areas where the republic erred: education, military defenses, and economic flourishing. Mistakes in these areas led to the country’s downfall. Taking Plato’s theory and drawing from Rome’s example, Plato’s Theory of Inevitable Decline can be tested against several independent variables in present-day America. The state of American decline can be studied by examining her education system, military defenses against outside threats, …

Readings From The Kenyan Constitution: A Critical Discourse Analysis On Legacy And Freedom, Sarah Marjie

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

One of the most important documents about historical realities is the Constitution. It establishes the principles of fundamental human rights and institutional provisions for governing a country. Given the above, the study explores the aspects of the 2010 Kenyan Constitution, focusing on the themes of legacy and freedom. It aims to explore the relevant articles and chapters to show how the principles of legacy and freedom are articulated. It does this by paying attention to the language employed, the historical and cultural contexts adopted, and the power dynamics at play in the Constitution. The purpose of the study is to …

Comparing Modern Scottish And Indigenous North American Political States In Relation To Their Colonizers, Katrina Jorquez

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

Colonization has had a major impact upon the formation and relationships of the vast majority of current countries. While much of colonization happened at a geographical distance from the conquering country this was not the case for Scotland or the majority of Indigenous North Americans. Both were geographically close to their colonizers (or inhabiting the same land, in the case of Indigenous Americans), but still maintained strong separate cultures that persist in spite of forced assimilation. As acts of colonization became more politically distasteful, the respective colonizers have both changed their relationships to the colonized state to allow for greater …

Tribal Sovereignty And Citizenship: From Independent Nations To U.S. Citizens, Travis Younce

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

Since the 1980s, when President Ronald Regan began to address illegal immigration, citizenship has taken to the forefront during the presidential election cycles. During the 2016 and 2024 election cycle, Presidential candidate Donald J. Trump made campaign promises to stop illegal border crossings by building a wall. Additionally, during the recent campaign, now President-elect Trump stated that he would remove birthright citizenship from children of parents who are here illegally and not United States citizens, also known as anchor babies.

Citizenship has played a significant role in the last 248 years of the United States, from the Founding Fathers' discussions …

Philosophy, Power, And Morality: Towards A Better Haiti By Forging And Wielding Biblical Moral Sword, Cedrick Albert Saint-Elien

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

21^st century Haiti, it is the worst of times, an age of foolishness, an epoch of incredulity, a season of darkness, a dry season of despair, and a century of contaminated moral atmosphere. This gradation explains the rationale behind the self-exile of a great number of Haitians to other countries where life is not as invaluable as it is in the poorest country of Central America. This paper is an attempt to mainly pose solutions to the problems of impunity, unauthorized power, and transparent corruption. How does a nation go up after hitting rock bottom repeatedly? Does a “failed …

Education Standards In The Us Military, Makayla Donnelly

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

The United States military has been observed by many conservative and libertarian thinktanks, such as The Heritage Foundation and CATO, as losing strength and effectiveness. Many outside of these major thinktanks are concerned about why defense takes up so much of the discretionary budget when the military seemingly continues to decline as majority of military branches fall short on their recruitment quotas. To boost recruitment and bolster the US military several branches have reexamined policies and altered them to expand the recruiting pool. One policy that is being investigated for reexamination is education standards. Education standards in some branches may …

Rural Nonprofit Employees’ Perceptions Of Employee Retention, Melody Annette Cole

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In this qualitative case study, the employee retention problem of a rural nonprofit organization in North Carolina was explored. Specifically, the employees’ feelings regarding the issues affecting the organization’s employee retention problem were collected to provide administrators at the organization with recommendations to increase employee retention. Through interviews, participants shared their perspectives on employee retention and why they believe there is a retention problem at the organization. In addition, 10 exit interview records of previous employees were reviewed. Applying the conceptual framework of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the data collected from the interviewed participants and from exit interviews of previous …

Nepotism In Employee Recruitment And Student Admissions In Nigeria’S Tertiary Education System, Dianabasi Ukpong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Corruption in Nigeria’s educational sector, especially the tertiary sector, exists as a gap in the literature between policy formulation and implementation. Government agencies structure educational policies for their personal goals rather than enacting a policy framework promoting broad national interest. Current literature reveals that policies on recruitment and admissions in the tertiary education system are personality-oriented and allow tribalism, nepotism, favoritism, and even discrimination. This general qualitative study used the narrative policy framework to examine nepotistic practices in recruitment and admissions in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector. The purpose was to examine how nepotism in recruiting qualified employees impacts the tertiary …