Digital Commons Network^™

The Liability Of Classification Societies : A Comparative Study With A Focus On Criminal Liability Under The Law Of The Republic Of Korea And Other Jurisdictions, Hyunho Kim

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Transportation Safety In Lake Victoria, Clever Tugume

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Heterogeneous Effects Of Cannabis Dispensaries On Crime: The Importance Of Foot Traffic, Thomas Lebesmuehlbacher, Justin Roush, Rhet A. Smith

Hunt Institute Working Paper Series

This paper pairs exact dispensary locations with city block level crime data to study the impact of medical cannabis dispensaries on crime in the state of Florida from 2016-2019. Leveraging a Florida state law that requires broadly uniform security provisions across dispensaries, we capture important dispensary heterogeneity by incorporating customer volume and local non-dispensary foot traffic with smartphone geopositional data. We use not-yet-operational dispensary locations as a control group and a geo-spatial difference-in-differences framework and find reductions in larceny, vehicle burglary, and motor vehicle theft following the opening of high-volume dispensaries. We fail to find evidence of similar deterrent effects …

Estimating Models For Engineering Costs On The State Highway Operation And Protection Program (Shopp) Portfolio Of Projects, Elhami Nasr, Tariq Shehab, Nigel Blampied, Vinit Kanani

Mineta Transportation Institute

The State Highway Operation and Protection Program (SHOPP) is crucial for maintaining California’s 15,000-mile state highway system, which includes projects like pavement rehabilitation, bridge repair, safety enhancements, and traffic management systems. Administered by Caltrans, SHOPP aims to preserve highway efficiency and safety, supporting economic growth and public safety. This research aimed to develop robust cost-estimating models to improve budgeting and financial planning, aiding Caltrans, the California Transportation Commission (CTC), and the Legislature. The research team collected and refined comprehensive data from Caltrans project expenditures from 1983 to 2021, ensuring a high-quality dataset. Subject matter experts validated the data, enhancing its …

Commercial Truck Drivers' Perceptions About The Influences Of Safety Regulations On Retention, Akeisha Arnett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The persistent shortage of commercial truck drivers remains a prominent concern in the industry. There is a potential for the shortage to exacerbate, possibly reaching an estimated 50,000 drivers, due to the need for more adequately qualified candidates. The purpose of this qualitative study was to improve the understanding of how commercial truck drivers who have worked in the industry for at least 1 year perceived the relevance of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DoT) safety regulation 49 CFR Part 395 on the number of allowed active driving hours potentially impacts their retention decisions. The research questions focused on the …

Seeing The Whole Together Through Relational Mapping: A Method For Engaging In Complex Systems Change, John Paul Stephens

Faculty Scholarship

Complex global challenges cut across organizational and sectoral boundaries, increasing calls for holistic responses. Seeing the whole across diverse stakeholders is challenging for participants in complex systems, yet doing so is essential for engaging effectively in systems change. A promising new method known as relational mapping, based on relational coordination theory, has been used to facilitate complex systems change. Here, we propose that relational mapping can be applied to help participants (1) see the whole in relation to the parts, (2) share their explicit and tacit knowledge, (3) engage in dialogue across distinct perspectives supported by the map as a …

Empowering Modernization Of National Emergency Management With New Generation Of Information Technology: Technology Foresight And Policy Recommendations Based On Typical Scenarios, Haibo Zhang, Xinyu Dai, Yi Peng, Yi Liu, Xue Lin, Yongjian Zhu, Wu Chen, Zhen Wu, Xinyue Qin, Depei Qian, Jian Lv

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

In the context of the new round of scientific and technological revolution, how to grasp the historical opportunity of supporting the development of the “overall safety and emergency response framework” with the NGIT, and promoting the transformation of the public safety governance to emphasis on prevention, is a pressing issue to be studied. This study focuses on five typical scenarios in emergency management, drawing on multiple rounds of expert interviews and questionnaire surveys to identify a list of critical technologies, analyze future development trends and constraints, and provide references for advancing relevant technological research and development. The study further emphasizes …

The Need For U.S. Stability Policing, John F. Hussey

Joint Force Quarterly

This article argues that the U.S. military needs a dedicated stability policing capability to establish public order, protect civilians, uphold the rule of law, and consolidate gains during the transition from combat operations to postconflict stability. Drawing on U.S. experiences in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, the author contends that military forces have often been ill prepared to perform civilian policing or train indigenous police forces, leading to overly militarized approaches that can undermine legitimacy and public trust. The article emphasizes that stability policing requires personnel with civilian law enforcement expertise, particularly during the critical period immediately following major combat operations. …

A Qualitative Study Of Federal Employee Whistleblowing And Reprisal For Whistleblowing, Bruce S. Mclean

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Federal employee whistleblowing is essential to holding government officials accountable. The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) was established in 1979 to provide a secure channel for federal government employees to report wrongdoing while protecting them from reprisal. More statutory protections were enacted with the Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA) in 1989; however, deficiencies in the WPA led to the eventual passage of the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act in 2012. The problem is that the literature on whistleblowing fails to distinguish the OSC as the Executive Branch whistleblower protection agency nor recognize its annual reports and surveys as the only known …

Public-Private Partnerships In Fema: Strengthening Communities Nationwide, Rachael A. Zerr

Publications and Research

This paper explores the role of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in strengthening communities through collaboration with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). It defines FEMA’s mission and outlines the concept of PPPs, emphasizing their importance in enhancing disaster response and recovery efforts. The paper provides framework for establishing a PPP with FEMA, including key steps and practices for successful collaboration. Additionally, it highlights several examples of effective PPPs, including a longstanding partnership with Verizon Wireless. Drawing from FEMA reports and private sector publications, the paper demonstrates how these partnerships contribute to resilience and preparedness, illustrating their potential to improve the efficiency …

Criminal Justice Update - October 2024, Mia Agudelo

Criminal Justice Updates

The Criminal Justice Update is a monthly newsletter created by the Adams County Bar Foundation Fellow providing updates in criminal justice policy coming from Pennsylvania's courts and legislature as well as the US Supreme Court.

Contents:

• Updates from PA Governor's Office
• Updates from the PA Legislature
• Updates from the Courts
• U.S. Supreme Court: Criminal Law & Procedure (no updates this month)
• PA Supreme Court: Criminal Law & Procedure
• PA Superior Court: Criminal Law & Procedure

Research Report: Economy And Trade Policy, Heather Akin, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Mary Emery, Katelyn Larson, Bradley Lubben, L. J. Mcelravy, Timothy Meyers, Rebecca J. Vogt

Nebraska Rural Poll

Most rural Nebraskans are somewhat or very concerned about their household’s cost of living, their household income, and their household’s financial situation. This was particularly true for certain groups, including persons with lower household incomes, younger persons, and persons with construction, installation, or maintenance occupations.

When asked about the impacts of international trade, most rural Nebraskans think it is good for Nebraska’s economy. Residents of the Panhandle are the regional group least likely to think trade is good for the state’s economy.

Many rural Nebraskans think international trade is good for creating jobs in Nebraska, for their own standard of …

Negara Hukum Kesejahteraan Di Batas Pantai: Paradoks Perlindungan Negara Terhadap Masyarakat Pesisir Di Tengah Perubahan Iklim, Aji Baskoro

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

Climate change poses significant challenges to vulnerable coastal communities in Indonesia. As a welfare state, the Indonesian government is expected to safeguard these vulnerable groups through policies that promote their welfare and sustainable livelihoods. However, current policies create a paradox. This article explores this paradox: on the one hand, Indonesia adheres to the welfare state principle, which demands that all government actions be grounded in law, ensuring public safety and welfare. On the other hand, the policies focus on exploiting natural resources, exacerbating the vulnerabilities of coastal communities, particularly in the face of climate change. The article employs a normative …

Measurement And Prediction Of Transit System Performance Using Probe Data Generated Through Dsrc And Non-Dsrc Technologies, Gregory L. Newmark

Mineta Transportation Institute

This research explores the application of two different probe data standards to transit performance measurement. The first section chronicles the proposed and implemented transit uses of dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) technologies during the two decades between the standard’s emergence and its announced sunset. The research finds that, despite proposed applications across safety, operation, and information domains, DSRC never became embedded in transit operations. By contrast, the general transit feed specification (GTFS) standard with its real-time (RT) extension has been widely embraced and offers the potential to use the associated VehiclePosition messages as probe data to generate detailed transit performance metrics. …

A Novel Approach To Evaluate Seatbelt Non-Compliance Of Drivers In New Jersey, Md Arifuzzaman Nayeem

Theses and Dissertations

This study intends to investigate the non-compliant behavior of drivers with seatbelt use in New Jersey. By examining various factors such as temporal and roadway characteristics, this study seeks to identify the underlying causes of this seatbelt non-compliance behavior. To overcome the limitations of traditional methods like cross-sectional data collection, a novel approach known as moving vehicle method was employed. To gain further insights, hypothesis tests were performed across the entire dataset to pinpoint significant temporal, roadway, and geometric factors contributing to non-compliant behaviors. In the subsequent step, the association of other risky behaviors like speeding and distracted driving with …

Policy Tools For Youth Development In African American Communities, Adedapo Oladipo Adeyanju

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many African American adolescents live in disadvantaged neighborhoods due to decades-long segregationist housing policies. Living in these settings have isolated them from mainstream society and put them at risk for developmental issues and engagement in risky behaviors and violent crime as young adults. The purpose of this study was to examine past experiences of public housing beneficiaries exposed to concentrated poverty and their perceptions of how their neighborhood characteristics affect adolescent development. Research questions examined how housing policies have inhibited development or isolated Black youths to specific housing programs, affecting their opportunities to be better citizens. The theoretical framework for …

The Effects Of Body-Worn Cameras On Officer Training, Report Writing, Discretion, And Officer-Initiated Enforcement, David I. Rios

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research addressed police officers' perceptions of body-worn cameras and how the technology impacted their assigned responsibilities. The research allowed police officers to discuss their personal experiences with a device geared to provide law enforcement transparency and accountability. This qualitative study was guided by Smith's institutional theory, in which organizations strive to attain and maintain legitimacy within the communities they serve. Under the institutional theory, police-issued body-worn cameras (BWCs) have become the latest technological gadget, allowing transparency in law enforcement encounters with citizens. The methodology used was a qualitative research approach to capture data until saturation was met. Patrol officers …

Community-Based Nonprofit Approach To Period Poverty Among Women And Girls In Shelby County, Tennessee, Rosalind Stevenson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Period (menstruation) poverty affects women and girls in United States. In some U.S. cities, feminine hygiene items are becoming inaccessible and unaffordable to women and girls due to unequal taxation of feminine hygiene products. This case study involved exploring experiences of a Shelby County, Tennessee nonprofit’s female volunteers and recipients who receive free feminine hygiene products. Using a convenience sample of seven female participants, the feminine mystique theory was used to guide thematic interpretations via semistructured interviews involving gender-based pricing or pink taxes and effects of feminine hygiene affordability for women and girls. Resulting major themes included: free feminine hygiene …

Digital Environments Of Reception And Governance: A Landscape Analysis Of Immigration-Related Webpages On U.S. State Websites, Orunima Chakraborti

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

American state governments occupy unique political roles when it comes to critical public-facing policy areas like education, health, transportation, and commerce, and therefore they administer many public services and benefits that affect immigrants and their communities. This study expands the existing knowledge of the ways in which U.S. state governments digitally engage with their immigrant populations, doing so through a landscape analysis that maps the information and resources provided for and about immigrant communities on 413 immigration-related webpages across all 50 U.S. state governments’ official websites. Data was collected in four categories for each webpage: its bureaucratic orientation, the government …

Prosecutorial Data Transparency And Data Justice, Caitlin Glass, Kat M. Albrecht, Perry Moriearty

Northwestern University Law Review

The U.S. criminal legal system is notoriously racialized. Though Black and Latinx people make up less than 30% of U.S. residents, they constitute more than 50% of the nearly two million people currently in U.S. prisons and jails. For decades, research has indicated that one group of decision-makers has had an outsized influence on these numbers: prosecutors. From whom to charge to what sentences to recommend, no actor plays a greater role in determining who goes to prison in this country. Highly subjective and lacking in formal guidance and accountability, prosecutorial decisions are especially vulnerable to racial bias. They are …

Citizen Engagement Through Social Media In Small Maryland Towns, Chad P. Rooney

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to understand how municipalities used social media to engage stakeholders for the selected Maryland towns including residents, business owners, and industries located within their respective jurisdictions, and to identify potential future impacts for continued use of social media. Governments have implemented Facebook to increase interaction, participation, and transparency between local governing bodies and residents. This research examined the uses of social media by nine small towns in Maryland. The primary questions addressed include the reasons these towns began using social media, the extent to which relationship between citizens of small towns in Maryland …

Paycheck-To-Paycheck: How Public Service Loan Forgiveness Inhibits Generational Wealth Attainment For Black Women, Ashley Patrice-Rose Sherman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Black women who attend college in the United States are more likely to borrow to cover the cost of attendance and carry the largest amount of student loan debt than any other racial and gender group. Federal student loan borrowers are encouraged to work in public service to take advantage of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF), an income-driven repayment program established by the College Cost Reduction and Access Act (CCRAA) of 2007. PSLF offers total debt relief after ten years of uninterrupted full monthly payments based on an income-driven repayment plan. The significance of this qualitative study will …

Examining The Impact Of Stand Your Ground Laws In Alabama, Bruce Litaker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

It is not known whether gun death rates vary with the implementation of Stand Your Ground (SYG) laws in Alabama. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine differences in the rate of gun deaths in Alabama since the implementation of SYG laws. Policy feedback theory (PFT) served as a foundational framework and a lens to interpret the research findings. The study was to determine whether there was a statistically significant difference in the firearm homicide rates in all 67 counties in Alabama after SYG implementation, and if there is a statistically significant difference in the firearm homicide rates …

The Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Family Reentry Programs And The Public Policies Governing Those Programs For African American Female Ex-Offenders, Yulonda Rhodes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore how African American female ex-offenders perceive the effectiveness of family reentry programs and the policies governing those programs. By providing additional information particular to African American female ex-offenders, this study has the potential to broaden the scope and depth of existing studies and enhance public policies governing family reentry programs. The theoretical framework concentrated on the four variables of Hirschi’s social control theory: attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief. The primary research question explored how African American female ex-offenders perceived the effectiveness of family reentry programs. Data were collected through in-depth …

Current And Emerging Trends In The Management Of International Disasters, Laura M. Phipps, David A. Mcentire

Mavs Open Press Open Educational Resources - Archive

This edited book examines major problems facing the international disaster community as well as innovative solutions to global emergency management, focusing on the current and emerging trends in disaster management that cross geographic, social, and political borders.

Exploring Human Capital Development: Perspectives Of Young Adults (Aged 18-25) In Lagos, Nigeria, Omobola Omotimirin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Under-utilization of youth human capital and youth delusion, has the attendant effect of increased crime, insecurity, deplorable infrastructure, loss of foreign investment, revenue loss, etc. The large population of young adults (age 18-25) in Lagos State, Nigeria, is a source of human capital development. There is little to no literature on the young adults’ (age 18-25) perspectives on their human capital development in Lagos State. The purpose of this study was to understand the perspectives of young adults (age 18-25) on their human capital development needs. Research questions focused on understanding young adults’ perception on human capital development; how youth …

Paradox Of Trust: Examining The Intermediaries That Shape Trust In Va Among The Veteran Population, Jonathan Mills

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has faced significant challenges in maintaining the trust of the veterans it aims to serve—especially those veterans most at risk for adverse outcomes. While veterans currently enrolled in VA care report high trust in the quality of their care, nonenrolled veterans report much lower levels of trust, preventing them from seeking the care they need. This study explored the complex dynamics and drivers of low trust among veterans who are not enrolled in VA healthcare, versus higher reported trust among veterans who are. The research leveraged organizational reputation theory and the macro cognitive perspective …

20,000 Ft. View: An Introduction To Emergency Management, Bethany Swindell, Jamie Stacy

ATU Faculty OER Books and Materials

This book adopts a "20,000-foot view" approach, offering an essential understanding of emergency management without delving into operational specifics. It doesn't detail day-to-day practices of emergency management offices. Instead, it paints a high-level portrait of the field's core principles. This approach equips readers with a broad framework—a canvas onto which they can later add layers of specialized knowledge.

Housing Policy And Eviction: An Iterative Process., Oleksandra Maksymivna Belinova

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previously, eviction has been perceived as a legal problem rather than a social issue. Previous literature examines eviction as a social problem and the role of program administrators in policy implementation. Through a mixed-methods study of in-depth semi structured interviews and secondary descriptive analysis of eviction data, this study serves explores program administrators’ perspectives on housing policy and eviction practices and the impact these perspectives have on policy implementation and eviction prevention. The results indicate that program administrators view eviction as a legal phenomenon influenced by housing market dynamics with eviction prevention efforts limited by data collection and the lack …

Coproduction Revisited: From Theory To Practice., Brenton Clarke Hereford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Coproduction, or the interaction of citizens with their public service provider, has been used in policy responses to a myriad of service delivery problems, especially policing. This dissertation uses a three-manuscript approach to revisit coproduction both as a theory and a practice. The first manuscript tracks the evolution of coproduction as a theory from three different disciplines: economics, urban theory, and public administration. In addressing the three disciplines, the manuscript explains what broadly united the coproduction literature and the differences that hindered the early development of the concept. It concludes with how the concept is used today, and how future …