Digital Commons Network^™

The Value Of Prison Education: Evaluating The Impact Of Education Through Desistance, Cheryl Chan

Honors Theses

The United States faces an epidemic of incarceration, draining resources, disrupting families, and hindering societal participation. Prison education emerges as a method to address this cycle, with vocational and academic programs being pivotal. While vocational programs are more common, their long-term efficacy remains uncertain. Academic education, exemplified by programs like the Bard Prison Initiative, provides incarcerated individuals with an opportunity to change. Typically, the success of these programs are measured using recidivism. However, recidivism has become too narrow of a measure to properly capture the nuances of an education. There has been an emerging body of scholarship studying desistance and …

Public Perspectives On Investigative Genetic Genealogy: Findings From A National Focus Group Study, Jacklyn Dahlquist, Jill O Robinson, Amira Daoud, Whitney Bash-Brooks, Amy L Mcguire, Christi J Guerrini, Stephanie M Fullerton

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Background: Investigative genetic genealogy (IGG) is a technique that involves uploading genotypes developed from perpetrator DNA left at a crime scene, or DNA from unidentified remains, to public genetic genealogy databases to identify genetic relatives and, through the creation of a family tree, the individual who was the source of the DNA. As policymakers demonstrate interest in regulating IGG, it is important to understand public perspectives on IGG to determine whether proposed policies are aligned with public attitudes.

Methods: We conducted eight focus groups with members of the public (N = 72), sampled from four geographically diverse US regions, …

Changes In Perceptions Of First Responders After Witnessing A Drug Overdose: Individual And Contextual Variations Among People Who Use Opioids In West Virginia, Kathleen L. Egan, Kelly Gurka, Alexandria Macmadu, Herb Linn

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Success of opioid overdose interventions involving first responders is dependent on the comfort level that bystanders have with first responders and their willingness to call for assistance. Positive or negative experiences with first responders following witnessing an overdose may influence a person’s willingness to call a first responder for assistance in the future.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to examine changes in bystanders’ perceptions of first responders following witnessing an overdose attended by emergency medical services or a law enforcement official. It specifically explored perception changes among a sample of individuals residing in Appalachia who use prescription …

Sustainable Transportation In Southeast Asian Countries: Implementation Of Green Transport, Nafrah Maudina, Eko Priyo Purnomo

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

Metropolitan cities face escalating reliance on private transportation, exacerbating traffic congestion and air pollution. To address these issues, promoting eco-friendly alternatives like Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), and electric vehicles is crucial. This study aims to explore the integration of green transportation to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), utilizing bibliographical analysis with VOSviewers tools. Scopus-indexed articles (2010-2022) were scrutinized using keywords: "Green Transportation," "Manila," "Bangkok," "Jakarta," and "Sustainable Development Goals."Findings reveal the adoption of green transportation in Manila, featuring electric motorbikes, bicycles, and the transformation of private transport into e-jeepneys. Bangkok showcases electric ships for water transport …

The Impact Of Isil And Covid-19 On The Financial Performance Of Banks Listed On The Iraq Stock Exchange: A Comparative Study, Farqad Faisal Jadaan Sallal

Muthanna Journal of Administrative and Economics Sciences

This study aims to demonstrate the impact of the ISIL crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic crisis on the financial performance of banks listed on the Iraq Stock Exchange by comparing the profitability ratios of the banks in the research sample. In order to achieve this aim, a sample of 10 banks listed on the Iraq Stock Exchange was selected for the period 2011-2021. Using annual financial reports for the periods before and after the emergence of ISIS. Before and after the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the profitability ratios were extracted (represented by return on assets, equity, and deposits). The …

Health Insurance Determinants Of The Working-Class, Lall Ramroo

Student Theses

Abstract:

This research delves into healthcare coverage disparities within the working class, spotlighting challenges in accessing essential services. Leveraging data from the 2021 American Community Survey, we scrutinize coverage intricacies for those above Medicaid eligibility yet unable to afford private insurance. Findings unveil a worrisome trend: the working class faces limited healthcare access due to income thresholds, placing them in precarious situations. Those earning too much for Medicaid but lacking private insurance means or employer-sponsored coverage grapple with significant obstacles. This paper underscores the need for targeted policies to bridge healthcare gaps for the working class, advocating for equitable access …

Do Judges Understand Technology? How Attorneys And Advocates View Judicial Responsibility In Cyberstalking And Cyberharassment Cases, Kateryna Kaplun

International Journal on Responsibility

As new technologies emerge and are increasingly used to commit interpersonal cybercrimes like cyberstalking and cyberharassment, the legal system lags in assisting victims in obtaining justice in these types of experiences. This qualitative research study explores how attorney and advocate interviewees from Illinois, New Jersey, and New York view judges’ responsibility to the law in cyberstalking and cyberharassment cases. This study finds three themes: judges’ lack of understanding of technology and its harms, discretion, and law on the books versus law in action as important factors and frameworks that contribute to why judges do not consider the importance of technology …

Understanding Lived Experiences Of Correctional Officers' Reintegration Back Into The Work Environment Post-Assault, Claudette Duggins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The researcher explored the experiences of correctional officers assaulted by inmates, focusing on the impact of such assaults on their reintegration into the work environment. The researcher sought to understand how these experiences affect officers' attitudes, behaviors, and decision-making, which could impact the safety and security of the institution and the public. A qualitative approach using a phenomenological research design was employed to understand the lived experiences of assaulted correctional officers. Data emerged through participant interactions, capturing their personal experiences and perspectives. The qualitative method was chosen over a quantitative approach as it allowed for an in-depth understanding of the …

The Cost Of Creating Therapeutic Relationships: A Phenomenological Study, Robert D. January

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe how licensed counselors address vicarious trauma and burnout when working with individuals exposed to trauma. This study involved ten licensed professionals from diverse settings including clinics, private practices, and non-profit organizations. Constructive Self-Development Theory guided this study, which defines how traumatic experiences influence a person’s sense of identity. This theory is particularly relevant to this qualitative study because it explains the challenges faced by professional counselors who interact with trauma survivors and acts as a guide toward solutions for preventing counselors from experiencing vicarious trauma and burnout. Snowball sampling was used …

Mass Incarceration In America: Where's The Church?, Michael J. Wing

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Due to mass incarceration, correctional facilities in America are dealing with unprecedented levels of overcrowding, staff shortages, violence, suicide, and widespread mental illness among inmates. Budget cuts and the corresponding loss of vocational, educational, and treatment programs have exacerbated such problems. Mass incarceration and its deleterious consequences are challenging the very soul of America, and the church has largely stood by and watched this tragic situation unfold over the last fifty years. This research project has explored some of the barriers that have precluded churches from taking a more intentional, active, and impactful role in doing something about the national …

A Quantitative Analysis Of Servant-Leadership Characteristics Among Those Called To Serve And Protect, Louden S.B. Suggs

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to determine if servant-leader characteristics were common among recruits enrolled in basic law enforcement training programs in North Carolina Community Colleges and the relationship between recruit commitment to preserving public safety and public order and the call or natural feeling to serve others. This study explored whether law enforcement recruits inherently possessed servant-leader characteristics defined by Greenleaf and Spears (1998, 2002) and described in Matthew and Mark. One hundred eleven law enforcement recruits, both men and women, from various demographic backgrounds actively enrolled in 22 North Carolina Community College System’s Basic Law …

A Qualitative Study Of Media Dependency Theory On Tiktok Citizen Journalists, Jaron David Paschke

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this dissertation was to determine the problem with depending on citizen journalism for news updates on TikTok during Hurricane Ian. To accomplish that, three types of qualitative content analysis were deployed to answer three separate but related research questions. First, a conventional content analysis was used to determine if the communicative roles of citizen journalists differed from their mainstream media counterparts during a crisis. Second, a summative content analysis was used to determine how effective crisis communications from citizen journalists were when compared to those produced by the mainstream media. Lastly, a directed content analysis was used …

Clinical Leadership In Athletic Training, Tyler G. Vannucci, Lindsey E. Eberman, Matthew J. Rivera, Matthew J. Drescher, Justin Young, Kenneth E. Games

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Clinical leadership behaviors demonstrated by nurses delivering patient care are associated with improved patient outcomes and increased job satisfaction. Clinical leadership behaviors have not been studied in athletic training; therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate athletic trainers’ frequency of demonstrating these behaviors. Method: Participates completed an electronically distributed survey consisting of demographic variables, the Clinical Leadership Survey (CLS), and the Global Rating of Clinical Leadership Scale (GRCLS). Results: We found statistically significant differences between the CLS score of those in a supervisory role (M = 65.3 ± 5.4) and those who are not (M = 63.5 …

Functional Cynicism, Michelle Fried

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Trait cynicism, or “cynical hostility” as measured by the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory’s Cook-Medley Scale, is defined and studied as characteristics associated with psychopathology, interpersonal conflict, and negative health outcomes including heart disease and cognitive decline. Likewise, “organizational cynicism” is operationalized in industrial/organizational psychology for the purpose of describing and identifying an undesirable employee type in the workplace. This research proposes an alternative assessment. It reconnects cynicism with its roots in ancient philosophy by asking if cynical attitudes, despite their negative valence ascribed in the modern literature and conventional opinion, may serve a practical purpose. This study of Functional Cynicism …

Aspirations Of Hispanic Criminal Justice Students To Join Law Enforcement: An Empirical Investigation, Yudu Li, Lucas Espinoza, Charlotte Hu, Fei Luo

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

This study investigates the job preferences of criminal justice (CJ) students and potential factors that may impact their application for law enforcement positions. Existing research has shown that factors like gender, race, and class standing influence career choices among CJ majors. To contribute to this body of knowledge, this study focuses on CJ students’ attitudes toward the police and willingness to engage in community policing programs. The research examined 231 CJ students in a Hispanic serving university situated along the US-Mexican border. Research findings indicate that CJ students are less likely to pursue law enforcement careers if they hold less …

How The 2020 Protests Raises The Issues Of Policing Tactics, Brianna Knibbs

Capstones

With the 2020 Racial protests spreading all across the United States in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, the issues of police tactics used against protesters have raised a lot of questions on how it plays a role into the systematic police racism. In addition to the challenges for those who try to sue police departments.

Addressing Chronic Violence From A Gendered Perspective: Fostering People-Centered Approaches At The National Level (Case Study: Mexico), Elena B. Stavrevska, Nattecia Nerene Bohardsingh, María Dolores Hernández Montoya, Tania Cecilia Martínez, Briana Mawby, Aliza Carns

Kroc IPJ Research and Resources

Violence has traditionally been viewed through the lens of armed conflict or specific, concrete violent incidents. However, it is necessary to understand that violence may be a chronic phenomenon— a persistent, deeply ingrained aggression affecting daily lives.

The report makes the case for reconceptualizing violence in the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) and gender equality fields, building upon feminist conceptions of the continuum of violence to recognize that societal structures, systemic discrimination and even pervasive cultural norms can be sources of violence. This comprehensive view has significant implications for policy, demanding multisectoral strategies that address not just symptoms but the …

Relational Empowerment Among Public Safety Outreach Workers And Violence Interventionists In U.S. Cities: A Qualitative Inquiry, Christopher M. Thompson

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The nation-wide uprisings for racial justice in the Summer of 2020 brought into mainstream awareness the calls to shift resources away from police departments and channel funds to mental health, education, and other social services. However, in the wake of recent post-pandemic surges in community violence, police budgets increased, while public opinion for grassroots, radical initiatives like “defund the police” that many activists, organizers, and abolitionists pushed into public consciousness has faltered. Studies have shown that the implementation of community-led public safety programs significantly reduce incidents of street violence in U.S. cities. Thus, research that informs community-driven violence intervention and …

Employee Job Satisfaction Of Public Sector Professionals: The Roles Of Public Safety Work And Public Service Motivation, Victor Flomo

Theses and Dissertations

Employee job satisfaction of public sector professionals: The roles of public safety work and public service motivation

Legislating Criminal Justice Reform In Louisiana, Jason Callegari

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

While best practices in criminal justice reform have been studied and identified, the point at which reform legislation is decided upon and factors related to its passage is a traditionally understudied. My research will explore the factors that influence the political will of legislators who pass criminal justice reforms. Using a constructivist view of grounded theory, my research uses qualitative data to determine patterns of words and generalities implicit in decision-making for legislators in the state of Louisiana by way of semi-structured interviews with current and former state legislators. Coded results will show patterns associated with participants' willingness to support …

The Perceived Racial Discrimination Of Incarcerated African American Juveniles By Correctional Officers, Jervaughn Fabian Reid

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is an overrepresentation of African American youths at every stage of the juvenile justice system in America, from initial interaction with criminal justice to sentencing and imprisonment. This quantitative correlational study aimed to study the perceived racial discrimination of incarcerated African American juveniles by correctional officers. Statistics indicate that African Americans have a higher probability of offending and incarceration than their White counterparts. Some juveniles are serving long-term sentences, which may go well into adulthood. This study offers general knowledge on what experiences juvenile offenders go through, what promotes such experiences, and how these experiences can affect the population …

Key Points In Preparation For Oregon Legislative Session (2024): Examining The Multifaceted Impacts Of Drug Decriminalization On Public Safety, Law Enforcement, And Prosecutorial Discretion, Kelsey S. Henderson, Christopher Campbell, Brian Renauer

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications and Presentations

These findings are part of a 3-year study to examine the impacts of possession of PCS law changes on: (1) law enforcement discretion, (2) prosecutorial decision-making, (3) courts/sentencing, and (4) public safety. The key findings, unless noted, represent statewide trends and impacts. Prior to M110, other statewide changes in policy, law, and historical events such as the COVID-19 lockdown/court backlog and public defense crisis also had important impacts on enforcement, prosecution/sentencing, and public safety outcomes. As such, data collected during the early implementation of M110 is not likely a reliable predictor of its ultimate impact. The data reported on below …

The Spectrum Of Federal Funding's Impact: A Texas-Vermont Case Study, Nicholas Lupone

Washington Semester Program

This multivariable analysis of the Economic Development Administration’s allocation decisions examines the EDA’s post-pandemic impact through cross-state funding discrepancies. This research uses a comparative case study design focusing on two states, Texas and Vermont, that have different economic characteristics and receive varying levels of EDA funding. The key variables analyzed include the amount and programmatic category of EDA funding received, and the relationship between funding and broad economic indicators, such as employment statistics, economic output, and industry growth. Additional variables will be impact-based and include private leveraged funding, jobs created or retained, and industrial base pre- and post-funding. The study …

Who Is Interested In Participating In Participatory Budgeting?, David Doherty, Raluca G. Pavel, Madeline Jackson, Dana Garbarski

Political Science: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Inequalities in terms of who participates in politics yield policy outcomes that fail to reflect the interests of the broader public. Because these processes fail to engage the full citizenry in political decision-making processes, they are also markers of an anemic civic culture. Advocates of participatory budgeting (PB) – a process implemented at the subnational level in thousands of cities in the United States and beyond that invites residents to participate directly in the process of allocating public resources for local projects – argue that it can alleviate these inequalities. They argue that features of the PB process make it …

Economic Governance And Violence: A Cross-National Analysis, Steven Mccain

Theses and Dissertations

Understanding how economic governance influences routine activities is crucial within the field of criminology to better understand how grounds for violence emerge. Literature of cross-national studies concerning the effects of economic governance has recently developed to study its relationship with violence, specifically homicide. However, there is a deficit of frameworks related to criminological theory in this literature. Using a routine activity framework, the current dissertation seeks understand how different degrees of economic governance in general and, more specifically, the five areas of economic governance – size of government, legal system and property rights, sound money, freedom to international trade, and …

The Benefits And Challenges To Cycle-Based Adoption Of The International Code Council’S Model Building And Energy Conservation Codes, Hailey M. Mattingly

Commonwealth Policy Papers

This green paper, written in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and applicable to any jurisdictions in the U.S. and abroad, provides policy guidance to state and local authorities that wish to bring their building and energy conservation codes to more current technological and methodological standards. Specifically, this green paper presents the case for cycle-based adoption of model building and energy conservation codes published every three years by the International Code Council (ICC). In doing so, the paper also discusses the numerous benefits and challenges to implementing such a policy.

Exploring Local Elected Officials' Capacity To Govern Effectively, Mario King

Dissertations

A successful local government exemplifies inclusivity, innovation, and deliberate decision-making, all advancing responsible management of taxpayers' resources. In this qualitative investigation, a phenomenological approach is employed to delve into the lived experiences of local elected officials. The aim of this study was to gain insights into the capacity of these local elected officials for success in governance. Subsequently, the insights from these local elected officials' experiences are harnessed to evaluate their influence and impact on municipal performance.

The management of municipal performance encompasses the provision of social services, the maintenance of fiscal operations, and adherence to statutory obligations (Avellaneda, 2008). …

An Examination Of The Usage Of Grants And Municipal Bonds To Fund Capital Projects For Local Governments, Collin Patrick Davis

Online Theses and Dissertations

Funding for capital projects is a vital need for local governments. This thesis compares two forms of funding, that being debt funding through municipal bonds or funding from state and federal grants. This thesis compares and contrasts these two forms of funding, looking at the economic and political risks that can come with using municipal bonds, as well as the need of resources that local governments need when it comes to securing grants. This project also looks at the case study of one such local government that needs funding for a capital project, that being the city of Richmond, Kentucky, …

Perceptions Of The Farm Bill Among Nonmetropolitan Nebraskans, Rebecca J. Vogt, Heather Akin, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Bradley D. Lubben, L. J. Mcelravy, Timothy Meyer, Steven A. Schulz

Nebraska Rural Poll

The federal legislation known as the farm bill encompasses all things related to agriculture and food. This includes not only farm income safety net and conservation programs that typically come to mind when thinking about the farm bill, but also domestic food assistance programs (like SNAP), rural development (providing funding for items like broadband service, utilities, and housing programs) as well as programs that are focused on specific producers and crops. Given the variety of programs it entails, how familiar are rural Nebraskans with the farm bill and federal agricultural policy? Do rural Nebraskans support federal spending on the various …

The Disclosure Process Model And Formerly Justice Involved Juveniles: A Telephonic Audit Study, Morgan R. Wagner

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In most cases, individuals with juvenile records are supposed to have that record sealed from public view upon meeting certain conditions, including turning 18. However, it is often unclear whether juvenile records (sealed or unsealed) should be disclosed on applications (e.g., job, college). This study used a phone call audit methodology to examine the hiring practices of Texas fast-food restaurants (n = 280) regarding juvenile records. Additionally, this study tested the Disclosure Process Model as a method of disclosing criminal records to prospective employers. Employers did not report differences in likelihood of considering an applicantsâ?? record between the gender of …