Digital Commons Network^™

Association Between Internet Use For Health Information And Alzheimer’S Disease Diagnosis Among Older Adults With Diabetes In The United States: Examining Racial And Gender Disparities, Henry M. Zeidan

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This study uses data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) Round 13, collected in 2024, to examine whether internet use for health information is associated with Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis among older adults with diabetes in the United States. Given the rising adoption of digital health, understanding who benefits from online health resources is increasingly important. The research also examines whether these associations differ across racial and gender groups, offering insight into potential disparities in digital health engagement and cognitive outcomes. Findings from this study will inform clinical practice, public health programming, and strategies to ensure equitable access …

Exploring Barriers And Facilitators Of Mental Health Treatment For Law Enforcement Officers: The Impact Of Police Occupational Culture, April Reed

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Prior research has explored the impact of police culture on mental health stigma among law enforcement, however, a deeper understanding about how different aspects of police culture may inhibit or facilitate mental health treatment utilization is needed to inform policy and practice. This dissertation explores the relationship between police culture and mental health using a qualitative research design. Twenty-five (n=25) law enforcement officers from a county sheriff’s office in Central Florida were interviewed and participant observations were conducted during a three-month period. The present study sought to address the following research questions: What are the experiences of the job and …

From Sparks To Insights: An Aggregate Analysis On Arson And Explosive Data Reporting Published By The Atf (2014-2024), Zahra A. Khan

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This thesis provides an aggregate assessment of arson and explosives incidents reported by the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, and Tobacco, from 2014 to 2024. This thesis is written to highlight trends, investigative outcomes, and evolving patterns of criminal activity. Analysis of the data reveals notable shifts in incident frequencies, data distributions, and case resolution rates. This suggests both emerging technologies and changing operational dynamics that have affected long-term trends in arson and explosive incidents. Variations in incident types and investigative outcomes underscore the interplay between law enforcement priorities, resource allocation, and reporting practices over the ten-year period. The study also …

'But George Floyd Wasn't A Saint': A Critical Discourse Analysis Pre And Post George Floyd, Raya Berkley-Jacobs

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

May 25, 2020, George Floyd died at the hands of former police officer Derek Chauvin after he placed his knee on George Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds. His death sparked outrage, protests, and calls for accountability, justice, and reform. This study addresses the impact of George Floyd’s death as a focusing event that created a policy window under which federal legislation was introduced as a response to his death. Drawing on Punctuated Equilibrium Theory and Social Construction Theory, the study utilizes a critical discourse analysis to test how the death of George Floyd impacted the amount and …

Social Construction Of Female-Headed Households Participating In Hud Public Housing Programs, Emma Forks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem this study addressed involved factors associated with long-term program involvement of female-headed households living in public and vouchered housing. The literature indicated a significant gap regarding the reasons women who received federal housing assistance stayed in government housing. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to examine the experiences of female-headed households living in public housing and Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) housing in a Central Texas region, specifically to identify the factors that limited their ability to leave these programs. Using Schneider and Ingram’s social construction of target populations theory, the data was collected from eight participants …

The Impact Of New York City’S Bail Reform, Ruya Y. Kutgun

Honors College Theses

This thesis examines the impact of New York City’s bail reform on crime, recidivism, and jail populations, with particular attention to whether the reform has contributed to increased violence. Implemented in 2020 to reduce racial and economic inequalities, bail reform eliminated cash bail for most low-level offenses and emphasized the least restrictive pretrial conditions, with subsequent amendments expanding eligibility for detention. Using cross-sectional data from multiple governmental and research institutions, this study analyzes arrest rates, rearrest rates, and jail population trends before and after implementation. Findings indicate no significant increase in recidivism or violent crime attributable to bail reform. Fluctuations …

The Other Side Of The Wall: A Study On The Impact Of Paternal Incarceration On African American Children, Chance M. Wideman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative dissertation explores the long-term psychological, relational, and systemic impacts of paternal incarceration on adult children. Guided by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Theory, Attachment Theory, and Family Process Theory, this study examines two research questions:

(1) What types of childhood trauma are associated with paternal incarceration?

(2) How does the childhood trauma associated with paternal incarceration impact one in adulthood?

The study draws on three in-depth narrative interviews with adults who experienced paternal incarceration in childhood. These interviews, framed as dialogic and reflexive spaces, illuminate the deep and layered consequences of incarceration across the lifespan.

Five central findings emerged: …

Beyond Gun Control: How March For Our Lives Frames Gun Violence Prevention As Positive Peace, Ashley E. Nickels, Amanda D. Clark

Peace and Conflict Studies

March for Our Lives (MFOL) is a youth-led social movement that has redefined the framing of gun violence prevention, expanding it beyond policy-focused gun control efforts to a broader vision of positive peace. Rather than positioning gun violence solely as a matter of firearm regulation, MFOL constructs it as a structural justice issue, linking it to systemic inequities such as racial oppression, economic inequality, and political disenfranchisement. This study examines how MFOL’s movement framing reshapes understandings of gun violence prevention by emphasizing community transformation, intersectional justice, and collective safety. Drawing on framing theory, we analyze how MFOL presents gun violence …

Beyond Precedent: Sexual Violence As An Act Of Genocide In The International Criminal Tribunal For Rwanda, Ciara Kilroy

Peace and Conflict Studies

Wartime sexual violence (WSV) has been a characteristic of violent conflict throughout recorded history, yet has failed to illicit the same international attention and condemnation as other war crimes. WSV has also been a particularly pervasive method of destruction during genocide, in which women make up the majority of victims and are targeted for both their gender and group membership. However, sexual violence is not enumerated as a crime of genocide in the 1948 Genocide Convention. Despite its absence from the formal genocide convention, legal institutions have still attempted to hold perpetrators responsible for sexual violence during genocide. This paper …

A Case Study Of The Implementation Of Nevada’S Program To Reduce Recidivism Of The State’S Female Prison Population, Lisa C. Levine

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Success in public administration is often defined by long-term goals that demonstrate how effective a program or policy is. These long-term goals can take years to measure leading to investment doubts, shifting stakeholder goals, and the sunsetting of programs. There is a need to better understand how short-term and intermediate outcomes of a program can be used to measure success and the role goal orientation of stakeholders play in the implementation. Prison education programming exemplifies this problem as reducing recidivism, a leading goal for these types of programs, take a lifetime to prove. This study examines a female prison education …

Halt Under Threat Why Legislators Must Demand Compliance Before Change A Playbook For Action, Vanda Seward

Capstones

This playbook examines the implementation of New York State’s Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement (HALT) Act and presents evidence demonstrating that the law has not been fully or consistently enforced by the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (NYSDOCCS). Drawing on findings from the New York State Inspector General, the Correctional Association of New York, the Justice Center, court rulings, and community testimony, the analysis documents persistent violations, including excessive and illegal use of solitary confinement, inadequate documentation, failures to protect vulnerable populations, and insufficient accountability for staff misconduct. The playbook critically evaluates the recommendations of …

Social Work In Practice, The Final Stretch, Madison M. Fernandez

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This professional portfolio reflects what I have learned in the MSW program at the University of Montana.

A Tale Of Four Cities: The Effect Of Job Specialization On Employee Turnover Within Mississippi’S Local Police Departments, Wesley Bunch

Theses and Dissertations

Unusually high employee turnover among local law enforcement officers in the United States has been well documented. This exploratory case study examines employee turnover from a bilateral perspective of both generalists and specialists within local police departments. The purpose of this study is to determine if working in a specialized unit has any effect on employee turnover amongst local police officers in Mississippi. This study used qualitative methods to conduct interviews with thirty-four officers from four different police departments encompassing Mississippi’s northern, southern, eastern, and western regions. The interviews were conducted with individuals at the rank of officer and having …

The Ethics Of Prison Labor: The Usage Of Incarcerated Firefighters In California, Courtney Beals

Soaring: A Journal of Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Addressing Mental Needs In The Justice System, Danna B. Perez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Clients in the Mental Health Diversion Program often struggle to understand legal requirements due to the impact of mental health symptoms, which can interfere with their ability to complete the program. This capstone project was implemented at the Monterey County Public Defender’s Office within the Mental Health Diversion team, which serves individuals in the legal system with mental health challenges. The project aimed to strengthen staff communication with clients by providing a training presentation on mental-health-informed communication strategies. A post-presentation survey measured staff experience, confidence, awareness, and intention to apply the techniques. Results showed that most staff already had extensive …

Alaska Native Disparities In Alaska Jails And Prisons. An Exploratory Study And Descriptive Analysis, Brad A. Myrstol, Cheryl Jones, Rus'sel Sampson, Bri Moffat

AJiC Reports

This report presents an exploratory study of racial disparities in Alaska’s correctional system, combining a review of national research with an analysis of Alaska Department of Corrections (ADOC) booking data.

Understanding Mental Health Crisis Response Through The Lens Of First Responders, Ella Gibson

Student Theses

Responses to mental health crises are becoming an increasingly contentious topic as cases of extreme police violence or fatality during a crisis are publicized in the media. Although first responders’ experiences with mental health crisis response have been explored in prior literature, there remains a lack of research that gathers data from multiple first responder roles and compares their experiences across groups. There is also a significant gap in research examining the perspectives of co-response teams. This study sought to gather qualitative data on the experiences of police officers, EMTs/paramedics, and co-response team members, and to explore their perceptions of …

Bud On The Ballot: A County-Level Analysis Of Citizen Support For Cannabis Legalization, Amelia G. Jennings

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cannabis research has often emphasized usage rates among certain groups of citizens, focusing mostly on demographic factors. A less studied topic within the cannabis literature pertains to the predictors of voting patterns of legalization referendums. Past research on this topic has examined states with similar characteristics, which calls into question the generalizability of results. The current study attempts to broaden the scope of knowledge in this area by partially replicating a previous study that explored county-level voting patterns, while also exploring the potential influence of the declining agricultural industry in predicting support for cannabis legalization. This was accomplished by analyzing …

Personality And Perceived Police Legitimacy, Yuxuan Yang

Master's Theses

Police legitimacy refers to one’s trust in the police to be fair and make just decisions in their interactions with the public. Individuals’ perceptions of police legitimacy play a crucial role in predicting how they interact with police. More positive perceptions are associated with cooperative behaviors; less favorable views are associated with resisting behaviors. Few studies have examined the relationship of broad personality traits with perceptions of police legitimacy. The current study examined the HEXACO model of personality and right-wing authoritarianism as predictors of perceived police legitimacy among college students (N = 268). While taking gender, race, and social …

Identity Salience Of Organizational Culture: The Intersection Of Racial And Occupational Identities In High-Risk Professions, Sarah Espinosa

School of Public Service Theses & Dissertations

Despite decades of effort, issues of race and color in organizations remain unresolved. Representative Bureaucracy (RB) has been a necessary but insufficient response to these challenges. While RB promotes diversity and inclusion, it struggles to address deeper issues of equity and justice, which are seen in the persistence of police brutality, even with increased representation of officers of color. This dissertation will propose a new theoretical approach to address the shortcomings of RB, a framework for the Identity Salience of Organizational Culture (ISOC). The ISOC framework seeks to build beyond RB to explain how the culture of high-risk professions with …

Understanding The Complexity Of Child Soldier Recruitment Problems In Sudan, Maskur Riyadi

Journal of Terrorism Studies

This study examines human rights violations in the recruitment of child soldiers in Darfur, Sudan, where more than 300,000 boys and girls under the age of eighteen were recruited by government armed forces, militias, or non-state armed groups. Using a qualitative literature study, this study aims to examine the factors behind the recruitment of child soldiers and examine the phenomenon using international humanitarian law. This study concludes that the recruitment of child soldiers is caused by competition for limited natural resources, easy access to weapons, and unequal levels of education and economy. The violations found based on humanitarian law are; …

Post-Release Health Insurance Utilization Among Ex-Prisoners: A Scoping Review, Icha Khaerunnisa, Megah Andriany, Luky Dwiantoro

Kesmas

The lack of health insurance coverage after prison release significantly reduces access to essential healthcare services, hindering the continuity of care during community reintegration. The evidence on studies of health insurance use following prison release is limited. This scoping review aimed to summarize research on health insurance utilization after release from prison. Literature searches were conducted across databases including ScienceDirect, PubMed, and Scopus. Relevant articles were selected through a two-stage screening process. Data were extracted from the included studies and presented in tabular and descriptive formats. The keywords used were "health insurance AND post-release" and "inmates OR prisoners." This scoping …

Archaeology As Alternative Prison Education, Jayne Price Dr, Caroline Pudney Dr

Journal of Prison Education Research

This paper presents the educational focused outcomes of a set of workshops entitled 'Introduction to Archaeology’ that were delivered within a prison. The workshops were delivered as part of a project that seeks to explore the pro-social benefits and social capital (i.e. social and structural aspects that support positive identity formation) that could be developed through engagement with archaeology, specifically for those within the criminal justice system. The workshops offered a bespoke, alternative, educational offering within an adult male prison in Wales. It was designed and delivered by an archaeologist who has an established background in the field, especially in …

Enhancing Antitrafficking Initiatives Through An Interagency Collaboration Framework, Robert Louis Baxter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The challenges individual agencies face in addressing the complex issue of human trafficking and how interagency collaboration can strengthen survivor-centered support are largely unknown. Organizations often lack formal alliances that combine expertise and resources to deliver more comprehensive care. The absence of such partnerships represents a missed opportunity to provide the essential services necessary for survivors’ recovery, empowerment, and social reintegration. The purpose of the study was to use interagency collaboration to address the question: How can education, law enforcement, public health, and community-based organizations assess the barriers and benefits of interagency collaboration to create a more seamless support network …

School Discipline And Its Negative Impact On Student Achievement Outcomes: An Evaluation Of Discipline Policy, Samantha L. Hudson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Community stakeholders raised issue with the lack of evaluative tools to measure the effectiveness of the implemented school discipline policy in the Metro Atlanta School district. These tools are important to implementing the appropriate interventions to referred students in the district. This professional administrative study evaluated how exclusionary discipline practices influence equity and student outcomes within a Metro Atlanta school district. The guiding research question asked: Is the currently implemented discipline policy effective in promoting equitable student outcomes and reducing exclusionary practices? The concept used for this study is grounded in a constructivist paradigm, the study applied the Centers for …

Interest Convergence And The Racial Wealth Gap: Defusing Racism's Divide-And-Conquer Via Universal Basic Income, Palma Joy Strand, Nicholas A. Mirkay

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Wired Differently, Working Brilliantly: Understanding And Supporting Adhd & Audhd Employees, April Miller, Katherine Loving

Faculty Articles & Research

This paper explores the unique experiences, strengths, and challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals—particularly those diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), as well as the overlapping condition often referred to as AuDHD—in both clinical and workplace settings. It begins by examining diagnostic criteria, comorbidities, and the evolving understanding of ADHD and ASD as intersecting neurodevelopmental conditions. The paper then highlights common cognitive, emotional, and sensory challenges, including time blindness, neurodivergent paralysis, masking, overstimulation, executive dysfunction, rejection-sensitive dysphoria (RSD), and auditory processing disorder (APD).

Despite these challenges, many neurodivergent individuals possess exceptional strengths such as creativity, adaptability, rapid …

Understanding Behavioral Patterns: A Case Study Of Emirati Ex-Offenders In United Arab Emirates, Salim Ali Al Naqbi

Theses

Research on desistance has helped criminologists to better understand how people change their criminal identity and exercise personal choice. Yet in the UAE, these ideas has not often been applied to prisoners serving one or multiple offenses, even though incarceration and reoffending remain important social concerns. Because of this, desistance theory has not been fully used to study how rehabilitation is managed in UAE prisons, which means that some useful lessons may be missed. This study begins to close that gap by looking at the personal stories of 15 Emirati participants that were formerly incarcerated by adapting a qualitative and …

Examining Public Opinion On Endorsed Punishments For Illegal Abortion By Abortion Legality And Abortion-Restrictive States Before Dobbs V. Jackson, Lucretia Mena-Melendez, Kristen N. Jozkowski, Brandon L. Crawford, Ronna C. Turner, Wen-Juo Lo

Counseling, Leadership, and Research Methods Faculty Publications and Presentations

Research SummaryAs a result of the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, state lawmakers can and have enacted abortion restrictions, including criminal penalties targeting those who seek, provide, or assist with abortion. Given the current legal landscape, it is imperative to assess public opinion regarding the endorsement of punishments for illegal abortion. We conducted multivariate analyses to assess factors associated with punishment endorsements for an illegal abortion for the pregnant woman and healthcare provider. We also evaluated whether individual beliefs (i.e., abortion legality) and contextual factors (i.e., living in an abortion-restrictive state) may …

Excessive Expulsions And School Suspensions Of Black Children, Lasharee O. Rogers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While national and state-level literature has documented racial inequities in school discipline, limited research has focused on how these policies are specifically implemented and perceived within the Charlotte Metropolitan Statistical Region School. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to examine factors related to higher rate of expulsions and school suspensions of Black high school students in the CMSR Schools in comparison to their peers through the lens of the critical race theory. This research was used to engage teachers and administrators on current school suspension and expulsion policies while encouraging modifications to those policies that warranted equity and …