Digital Commons Network^™

Completing City Streets, Christopher Alan Phillips

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As a city in Tennessee continues to expand and the population continues to grow, citizens are concerned with safety and accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists. In this study, citizen comments and concerns for the city planning department were collected. A case study design was used for this study because it allowed for a focus on one setting and gathering data from a specific set of key stakeholders in the community. Data represented the thoughts and experiences of community pedestrians and were collected through surveys and 1-on-1, semistructured interviews with select participants that reflect the citizens of this community. The survey …

Readiness Of Stakeholders To Adopt Community Paramedicine Programs In Tennessee, Roger Lloyd Ritchie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Community paramedicine is an emerging model of care that promulgates EMS in a more community-based and integrated role within the broader health care system. A hallmark characteristic of community paramedicine is that programs are designed to meet the specific needs of a given community, rendering programs unique but perplexing. A need for research aimed at exploring possible barriers that may impede the adoption and implementation of community paramedicine programs has been identified by the National EMS Advisory Board, the North Central EMS Institute, and the Joint Committee on Rural Emergency Care. The purpose of this study was to explore …

Experiences, Reflections, And Applications Of Service-Learning Among Rookie Police Officers, Jacqueline Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Public safety is put at risk when police officers do not positively engage with community members. Though police officers learn how to deescalate volatile situations in police training, some officers still rely on use of force (UOF) and are not fully incorporating positive engagement to deescalate volatile situations. Service-learning provides one way to learn positive modes of engagement. The problem addressed in this project study was that service learning has not been adopted as a widespread teaching practice in criminal justice professional development in a Southeastern local setting. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences, observations, conceptualizations, …

Effect Of Society’S Political Ideology On The Long-Term Viability Of Drug Courts, Tiffany Kragnes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Drug courts are programs for people who experience substance abuse disorders and have been accused of a crime and are perceived as being likely to reoffend. The purpose is to provide a therapeutic approach with reducing the risk of future offense by supporting treatment for the defendant. Drug courts are cost-effective for state and local governments and are often funded through a combination of state appropriations and federal grants. Little is known how political ideology may influence the state and local budget process that support drug courts. Using Shafritz’s power and politics theory as the foundation, the purpose of this …

The Role Of Internet Of Things In Hotels’ Profitability, Gershwin Narraidoo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As consumers increase the use of smart technologies, the lack of or improper implementation of Internet of Things (IoT) systems may affect the profitability of hotel businesses. For this qualitative single case study, Porter’s value chain model was the conceptual framework. The data collection process also included direct observations, participant observations, company performance documents, and reflective journaling. Data analysis from multiple sources of data was triangulated to hoteliers revealing that the implementation of IoT systems strategies may increase profit through the use of IoT system technology. Using Yin’s 5-step process, data were coded and analyzed and produced 3 themes: offer …

Correctional Officers' Perspectives On Cellphone Contraband Introduction By Fellow Officers, Kamaria Taylor-Mccune

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Occupational deviance in the form of cellphone contraband introduction poses a serious threat to the safe and secure operations of correctional facilities across the United States. More importantly, security staff members who participate in this form of unethical and illegal behavior undermine and impair both staff-inmate relationships as well as collegial relationships among officers. The purpose of this study was to explore the perspectives of correctional officers who have experienced contraband introduction by fellow correctional officers and to understand the overall impact within the correctional environment. Based on ethical climate theory, this qualitative phenomenological study sought to describe the contributions …

Predicting Personality Traits In Police Officer Candidates Using The M-Pulse, Kyle Villarama

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The life of a police officer is filled with high stress and demands, so it is important to hire the right candidates. Preemployment testing is where candidates are screened with instruments such as the M-PULSE and the MMPI-2-RF to see if they are psychologically suitable for law enforcement. The purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental study was to determine the extent that scores on selected M-PULSE scales (negative emotions and interpersonal difficulties) predicted scores on selected MMPI-2-RF scales (stress/worry and family problems). Archival data were provided by a small corporation that conducts preemployment testing of police officer candidates. Data from the …

Attitudes And Beliefs Related To Risk Of Sexually Transmitted Infection In Swingers Who Do Not Use Condoms, Deborah Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sexually transmitted infection (STI) affects the public as a hidden epidemic of contagious disease with significant economic and health impacts. There are 110 million living with STI in the United States, with 20 million new infections annually. Condom use can reduce STI, but some people have sex without condoms, with risk for contracting or transmitting STI increasing when a person is in the same sexual network. Swingers are a growing sexual network and are a group at high risk of developing and spreading STI. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to develop an understanding of the attitudes and …

Occupational Stress And Coping Strategies Among Prison Educators In State Prisons, Vanessa Burrison-Meade

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Correctional education in the United States can be traced back to 1789. Its main purpose was to teach inmates literacy so that they could read the Bible. Because most of the inmates in the U.S. state prison system will be released in modern times, they will need as much education as possible to adapt to civilian life. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the experiences of 6 correctional educators belonging to the Correctional Education Association who are employed at maximum and medium secured prison regarding their strategies for handling stress and coping in their classrooms. The …

Impact Of Unfunded Accrued Pensions Liabilities On Paying The Annual Required Contribution, Angel O. Chiriboga

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Pension benefits are important incentives to attract public sector workforces. Los Angeles County cities have faced budgetary pressures due to increases in unfunded accrued pension liabilities (UAPL) linked to improved salaries and benefits without budget considerations. Los Angeles County cities contract with California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) to provide retirement benefits under city-specific employee retirement contracts. Complex decision-making processes to improve benefits and salaries require interaction between city councils, management, unions, and CalPERS. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the relationship between the ability to raise revenues and to pay for annual required contribution of cities …

Recidivism In The U.S. Criminal And Military Justice Systems, Dameian Cooper

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Recidivism in the U.S. Criminal and Military Justice Systems

by

Dameian J. Cooper

MA, American Military University, 2015

BS, Columbia Southern University, 2012

Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Philosophy

Criminal Justice

Walden University

August 2020

The purpose of the U.S. criminal and military justice systems is to deliver justice for all and protect public safety. However, “tough on crime” legislation has contributed to mass incarceration and high rates of recidivism. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand which justice system (criminal or military) is more effective in reducing recidivism. …

Information Technology Disaster Recovery Planning By Florida Nonprofit Organizations, Derek Keith Erfourth

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Inadequate information technology (IT) disaster recovery planning (DRP) by nonprofit organizations could lead to organizational failure post-large-scale natural disasters. Without proper funding and planning, organizations may not be able to withstand the effects of a natural disaster resulting in the closure and the community losing a critical need service. Grounded in resilience theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies utilized by Florida-based nonprofit organization technology managers to adopt and implement an IT DRP to aid in post-natural disaster recovery efforts. The data collection included interviews with 5 IT managers and reviews of 4 business …

Perceptions Of The Reentry Process Among African American Male Ex-Offenders With Multiple Incarcerations, Chanae Latrice Lumpkin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Within 3 years of their release from the criminal justice system, almost 7 out of 10 released African American males go back to. There is limited social science research into how these ex-offenders perceive their lived experiences after release. The research questions that guided this inquiry related to understanding the post-prison experiences of African American males with a history of multiple incarcerations. The conceptual framework was guided by Tajfel’s social identity theory and Becker’s social reaction theory. Interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample of 6 African American males with a history of multiple incarcerations who had been released from …

Media Exposure To Crime, Fear Of Crime, And Social Interaction Anxiety, Genea Shoulders

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2000, approximately 30% of all news stories in mass media focused on crime. According to research, increased exposure to the media directly correlates to an increased fear of crime; however, little research has been conducted into this influential relationship and the extent of which it could affect a person’s social interaction anxiety. Therefore, the study’s purpose was to examine the relationship and consequential impact of media exposure and the extent of which the fear of crime had on individuals’ social interaction anxiety levels. Through a quantitative approach, this study used the theory of cultivation. Question one examined the effect …

Midwestern College Student Perceptions Of Police And The Power Of Names, Melessa Renee Henderson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to explore, understand, and describe college student perceptions of the police based on if they grew up in rural or urban communities. Three aspects of college student perception of the police covered in this study are effectiveness, fairness, and legitimacy. Effectiveness may include police responsiveness and empathy as well as crime prevention and resolution. As opposed to internal biases, fairness is more external and may include equal treatment regardless of demographic differences. Lastly, legitimacy is more philosophical and revolves around the lawfulness of state power via police over a people. Researchers acknowledge that due …

Rotating Work Schedules And Work-Life Conflict For Police, Ryan Craig Dingman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This cross-sectional quantitative study addressed whether self-reported work-family conflict differ significantly between officers on rotating shifts and officers on non-rotating shifts. The study collected primary data through a self-administered survey with closed-ended questions. The theory of work-life balance guided this study by providing an understanding of how individuals experience fulfillment and stress from their roles in family life and their careers. Data using the Work-Family and Family-Work Conflict Scale were collected through surveys from police officers (N = 76) who were married or living with a partner in a county in the Pacific Northwest. Responses were measured on Likert scales, …

Nonprofits’ Financial Health And Healthy People 2020 California Program Outcomes, Tammie Vanessa Johnson-Lozolla

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nonprofit organizations (NPOs) are essential for implementing U.S. health promotion policies such as the Healthy People 2020 Nutrition and Weight Status 9, 10.4, and 15.1 program goals. Obtaining and sustaining NPO funding are pervasive problems. Prior research has focused primarily on NPO financial measures without taking into consideration a conjoint assessment of program outcomes connected to their primary mission. This study examined the influence of financial, accountability, and transparency measures on a selection of California NPOs whose program goals focused on Healthy People 2020 nutritional outcomes. Using Mohr’s program theory lens, this quantitative study examined financial strategies and administrative components …

The Perceived Effectiveness Of Community Programs In Reducing And Deterring Juvenile Delinquency, Susan Michelle Newton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Indianapolis, the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, continues to experience a high rate of offenses committed by juvenile offenders. Community programs are in place to assist in the deterrence and/or reduction of juvenile crimes, yet the city’s crime rate continues to increase with youth being the perpetrator of many of these crimes. The purpose of this study was to determine the perceived effectiveness of these programs, which has not been adequately studied. The research questions focused on identifying which of the city’s current programs are perceived as being effective or ineffective in reducing juvenile delinquency and why so. …

Predicting Recidivism Following Participation In Treatment/Intervention Programs For Ex-Offenders, Shaunae Colita Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Failure to participate in rehabilitative programs during or after prison has led to increased recidivism, which, in turn, has contributed to overcrowded prisons and lack of rehabilitation services for offenders. The purpose of this descriptive, quantitative, regression study was to explore the relationship between inmates’ program participation (i.e., during prison education program, during prison drug treatment program, during prison alcohol treatment program, and during prison sex offense treatment program) by and subsequent recidivism. Banduras' social learning theory provided the theoretical framework for the study. The study data were drawn from recidivism data of 38,624 prisoners who were released in 1994 …

Elite Theory Application To Social Privacy Concerns During Domestic Government Surveillance, George Vahn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Policy professionals would benefit from a social theory capable of suggesting policy change ramifications prior to public implementation. There is a research analysis shortfall concerning the usefulness of elite theory in modern social change. This study was an investigation of the effectiveness of elite theory to inform public policy analysts of behavioral outcomes following policy creation or change. Elite theory is the theoretical foundation that guided the framework of this study. The research question examined the effectiveness of elite theory to suggest behavioral outcomes in response to reduced personal privacy due to domestic government surveillance. A correlational research design was …

The Need For Gender Specific Jail Reentry Programming To Help Female Ex-Inmates Experience Successful Community Reintegration, Penny Lee Humerick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Reentry programs seek to reduce recidivism while maintaining community safety. Most reentry programs have focused on prison reentry and rarely on the reintegration of female offenders from jail to community which left a gap in the research literature. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the barriers that hinder successful community reentry for the female offender. Using social learning theory as the theoretical perspective, this study was intended to gain a better understanding of criminality and deviant behavior among female jail detainees. To build a strong study and gain insight into jail reentry programs, institutional analysis and …

Talent Retention Strategies For Service Industry Managers Within Rust Belts, Tunisha Foley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Human capital flight jeopardizes the future of rust belt organizations. Service industry managers within rust belt cities are at high risk of failure. Framed by the talent management model, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies rust belt managers used to reduce human capital flight. Participants were 1 health care manager and 1 social assistance manager from Detroit, Michigan, and Flint, Michigan, respectively, who successfully implemented strategies to reduce human capital flight. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and business documents. Data were analyzed with inductive content analysis, word frequency searches, and theme interpretation. Three …

Prevention Of Sex Trafficking And Perspectives From Parents In Ogwa Community Edo State Nigeria, Nkechi Iwuoha

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a high rate of trafficked girls and women from the Ogwa community in Edo state, Nigeria. The Edo government has developed a top-down centralized approach to the prevention of sex trafficking that has proved largely ineffective. The wholistic involvement of people in the decision-making regarding the strategies to prevent sex trafficking can directly create an impact through policy formulation and implementation. However, few studies have addressed the perspective of parents of vulnerable youth to positively impact the policy outcome on sex trafficking. Hence, the goal of this qualitative narrative inquiry study was to explore the perceptions of parents …

Firearm Restriction And Its Impact In Reducing Violent Crimes In California, Sampson C. Onwuka

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There have been recurring incidents of gun violence, murder, and mass shootings that have raised public concern on the dangers of guns, and people have demanded government regulation on firearms usage. Studies have attributed these incidents to non-strict laws on guns; however, it was unclear whether firearm restrictions affected California's violent crime reduction. This quasi-experimental, quantitative study was focused on finding out the impact of gun violence restraining orders (GVROs) on violent crime reduction in California. Four research questions addressed the changes in the variables after the establishment of the GVRO. Secondary data from the California Department of Justice were …

Perceived Barriers To Minority Female Recruitment And Retention In Law Enforcement, Lucy Lyles

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Representative bureaucracy indicates that police agencies should reflect the communities they serve to improve public perception of the agencies. An underrepresented population in U.S. law enforcement is minority females. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore participants’ lived experiences regarding perceived barriers to the recruitment and retention of minority females in U.S. law enforcement agencies. The study used theories of representative bureaucracy and intersectionality as frames. Data were collected from 15 survey responses and semi-structured interviews with minority female officers from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in Maryland. The data analysis included contingency tables and …

Public Policy Response To Violence: Case Study Of Boko Haram Insurgency In Nigeria, Emmanuel Baba Mamman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The violence of the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria has generated an increased need for public policy responses. Nigerian authorities and community stakeholders have attempted myriad responses to the challenges created by Boko Haram. However, there is a poor understanding of policy frameworks for handling the Boko Haram violence on the immediate, medium-term, and long-term dimensions. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to improve the understanding of the public policy measures that may help to address the Boko Haram challenge. John Burton's theory of human needs provided a theoretical foundation for the study. Purposive sampling technique was used, …

Epidemiology And Criminology: Managing Youth Firearm Homicide Violence In Urban Areas, Joseph Anthony Mcmillan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Violence is considered a public health problem in the United States, yet little is known about the benefit of using a combined epidemiology and criminology (EpiCrim) approach to focus on urban youth gun violence. The purpose of this general qualitative study was to determine in what ways Akers and Lanier's EpiCrim approach in tandem with Benet's polarities of democracy approach is explanatory of gun homicides by youth in U.S. urban areas and if the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System adequately addresses gun abatement measures. Data were collected through semi structured interviews of 16 criminal justice practitioners and medical professionals with …

Police Use Of Force Decisions: A Gender Perspective, Tina Jaeckle Ph.D., Barbara Benoliel Phd, Orville Nickel

2019 Program & Posters

To examine gender differences in U.S. police officers’ use of force, data from focus groups of male and female officers responding to escalating scenarios of risk were analyzed. Results compared to studies conducted in Canada and the United Kingdom indicated a similar finding: Use of force differed on gender lines. The social change contribution is in informing community policing strategies.

The Influence Of Social Support On Recidivism Of Formerly Incarcerated Individuals, Alison Dockery

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Individuals who are released from incarceration face many challenges with reintegration into the community, and it is important that they find stable environments to foster positive social integration. Family involved treatment programs have been shown to be successful in many areas for reentry. However, these programs lack information regarding the relationship between the individual's criminal history, risk of recidivism, and social support. This quantitative study was designed to evaluate the impact of social support on recidivism among participants. Secondary data were used from a 3-year period from a reentry program located in a large northeastern city and the Division of …

Sextortion: Psychological Effects Experienced And Seeking Help And Reporting Among Emerging Adults, Tonya Howard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sextortion is a phenomenon that has made an impact on the digital technology domain. Sexting is a transmission of sensual messages or performances, provocation, and schemes exhibited through an array of sexual behaviors. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine the psychological effects experienced of sextortion and to uncover the willingness to seek help and report the incident to authorities. Arnett's emerging adulthood theory provided the framework for this study. The sample consisted of N = 27 responders between 18-24 years of age who have engaged in sexting behaviors and may or may not have experienced sextortion. Simple …