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The Effect Of Risk Factors On Recidivism Among Juveniles From The Perspectives Of Juvenile Justice Professionals, Diana R. Clarke Jan 2017

The Effect Of Risk Factors On Recidivism Among Juveniles From The Perspectives Of Juvenile Justice Professionals, Diana R. Clarke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Within the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice system, juvenile delinquency referrals have decreased, yet at the same time, juvenile recidivism rates continue to challenge policy makers. Using Hirschi's social learning theory as the foundation, the purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to examine the perceptions of juvenile justice professionals about their experiences with youthful offenders in order to determine the causes of juvenile recidivism. Data came from in-depth interviews with 9 participants including state attorneys, judges, and mental health counselors from within the central region of the state of Florida. Data were analyzed and coded using Colaizzi's method. Two …


Realigning Community Policing In A Homeland Security Era, Alfred Stanford Titus, Jr. Jan 2017

Realigning Community Policing In A Homeland Security Era, Alfred Stanford Titus, Jr.

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The priority shift from community policing to homeland security in local police departments in the United States has threatened the relationships and successes established by community policing, though little empirical research explored the relationship between funding and implementation of homeland security versus community policing objectives among local law enforcement agencies. Using Karl Popper's conceptualization of the liberal democracy as the framework, the purpose of this descriptive study was to examine how trends in funding and implementation of both community policing and homeland security objectives changed among American law enforcement agencies between 1993 and 2013. Data were acquired from the Law …


Policing The Mentally Ill In Coronado, Ca, Jennifer Susan Ayres Jan 2017

Policing The Mentally Ill In Coronado, Ca, Jennifer Susan Ayres

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The growing number of individuals suffering from mental illnesses and their inability to access intervention methods has adverse effects on the criminal justice system. These impairments increase the likelihood that police officers will have negative attitudes about persons with mental illnesses. This study sought to understand whether police officers' empathy, education, experience outside of work as well as on the job, and officers' training in the field of mental health all related to police officers' attitudes relating to persons with mental illness. The purpose of this study was to expand the body of knowledge and determine how factors such as …


Teacher And Student Variables Affecting Special Education Evaluation And Referral, Lorenzo Adrian Woodson Jan 2017

Teacher And Student Variables Affecting Special Education Evaluation And Referral, Lorenzo Adrian Woodson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Past research has revealed that African American/Black boys are referred for special education evaluation at disproportionately higher rates than boys of other racial/ethnic groups. This correlational study used survey methodology to examine whether student and teacher demographic variables predicted how likely a teacher would refer boy students for special education evaluation. The following questions guided this research: 1) To what degree does student race/ethnicity, teacher gender, teacher race/ethnicity, and teacher attitude toward inclusion predict how likely a teacher would refer boys' to special education after controlling for teacher's years of experience in general and special education? 2) What are the …


Crime Reduction Strategies Of Florida Sheriff's Offices Related To Residential Burglaries, Jack Armstrong Jan 2017

Crime Reduction Strategies Of Florida Sheriff's Offices Related To Residential Burglaries, Jack Armstrong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Florida, the law enforcement response to burglaries is estimated to cost $1.3 billion, yet little is understood about whether specific types of enforcement and investigation strategies have an impact on reducing the incidence of burglary. Using Cohen and Felson's concept of guardianship as part of routine activities theory as the foundation, the purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to examine whether any or all crime reduction strategies (community policing, intelligence led policing, Compare Statistics policing, traditional policing, hot spot policing, and evidence based policing) when combined with urbanity, household income, the sworn officers per 1000 population are statistically …


Implementation Of A Standardized Multifactorial Fall Prevention Program In A Rehabilitation Facility, Shanetta Monique Ancrum-Lee Jan 2017

Implementation Of A Standardized Multifactorial Fall Prevention Program In A Rehabilitation Facility, Shanetta Monique Ancrum-Lee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

One and a half million people are currently living in residential care facilities; as the baby boomer generation ages, this number will increase to 3 million. Approximately 3 out of 4 residents of these facilities fall each year, and 10% to 20% of those falls result in serious injuries such as fractures, disability, and a decreased quality of living. The BOUNCE Back fall initiative is a multifactorial program that uses a systematic approach starting on admission and to re-evaluate a resident following a fall. Nursing and therapy uses the Morse Fall Scale and the Elderly Mobility Scale to assess and …


Motivation Of African American Students To Persevere Academically, Stephen C. Anyaka Jan 2017

Motivation Of African American Students To Persevere Academically, Stephen C. Anyaka

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American high school students face considerable personal and circumstantial challenges such as poverty, living in high crime neighborhoods, a lack of positive role models, low socioeconomic status, and social inequity in their efforts to achieve academic success. Finding solutions for persistent academic underperformance and closing the achievement disparity gap for minority children are challenging. This generic qualitative study examined the motivations of high-achieving African American high school students to persevere and achieve academic success despite their personal and circumstantial challenges. Social cognitive theory framed the study. Semistructured interview data were collected from 10 high achieving African American high school …


African American Male Police Officers' Perceptions Of Being Racially Profiled By Fellow Police Officers, Michael Armstrong Campbell Jan 2017

African American Male Police Officers' Perceptions Of Being Racially Profiled By Fellow Police Officers, Michael Armstrong Campbell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American police officers, as other African Americans, report being subjected to racial profiling by police officers, and that these encounters have, in some cases, resulted in excessive and unjustified use of force. These types of occurrences have resulted in a divide between African American and Caucasian police officers. The purpose of this phenomenological research study was to explore the experiences and perceptions of African American male police officers in the State of New Jersey who feel they have been discriminated against by fellow law enforcement officers. Weber's social relationship theory served as the theoretical framework for this study. Data …


College Instructors' Experiences Transitioning To Inverted Classroom Instruction, Glenda Maria Brown Jan 2017

College Instructors' Experiences Transitioning To Inverted Classroom Instruction, Glenda Maria Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lecture methods in higher education continue to be the most often used form of lesson delivery, although they seem to be less effective in promoting adult students' learning and engagement. Many higher education instructors have incorporated inverted classroom (IC) methods to increase student engagement and learning. The purpose of this qualitative interview study was to gain an understanding of college instructors' decision-making processes and experiences transitioning from lecture-based instruction to IC and the factors attributed to that transition. Knowles's andragogy theory, Kolb's experiential learning theory, and Rogers's diffusion of innovations provided the conceptual framework for the study. Eight college-level instructors …


Human Resource Strategies For Improving Organizational Performance To Reduce Medical Errors, Dr. Mary Ellen Taylor-Hyde Jan 2017

Human Resource Strategies For Improving Organizational Performance To Reduce Medical Errors, Dr. Mary Ellen Taylor-Hyde

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Preventable medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States. Healthcare leaders must consistently promote the delivery of quality and safe care of patients to reduce unnecessary errors and prevent harm. The purpose of this case study was to explore human resource strategies for improving organizational performance to reduce medical errors. The study included face-to-face interviews with 5 healthcare clinical managers who work within a multifaceted health system in the Midwestern region of the United States. Complex adaptive systems theory was used to frame this study. Interview notes, publicly available documents, and audio recordings were transcribed …


Recidivism Rates Among Juveniles With Mental Illness, Kia Chevon Russell Jan 2017

Recidivism Rates Among Juveniles With Mental Illness, Kia Chevon Russell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Treating mental illness is imperative to help reduce criminal justice involvement within the juvenile population. Receiving mental health care will help decrease the likelihood for youth to reoffend, ultimately reducing recidivism rates. Past studies showed there are risk factors associated with juveniles and recidivism; however, very few studies have examined what factors are prevalent after services have been received. The purpose of this study was to identify factors that increase the risk of recidivism among juveniles who have received psychiatric stabilization in Harris County, Texas. Risk factors that were assessed included age, gender, ethnicity, and criminal offense. The psychodynamic perspective …


Hiv Testing Practices And Provider-Identified Barriers In The Acute Care Setting, Alex Ariri Jan 2017

Hiv Testing Practices And Provider-Identified Barriers In The Acute Care Setting, Alex Ariri

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations to test patients ages 13 to 64 years for HIV at health care settings, routine HIV testing is lacking. As a result, many people are unaware of their HIV seropositive status. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to examine relationships between HIV testing and provider type, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding HIV testing in the acute care setting. The study was informed by social cognitive theory. Using a convenient sampling method, a questionnaire derived from previous surveys (Society of General Internal Medicine and University of Washington) was sent to …


Crowdfunding As A Financing Resource For Small Businesses, Melissa Cohen Jan 2017

Crowdfunding As A Financing Resource For Small Businesses, Melissa Cohen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although small businesses borrowed $1 trillion in 2013 from traditional lenders, 35% of small business owners were unable to obtain adequate financing and subsequently sought alternative sources such as crowdfunding. Guided by the pecking order theory, the purpose of this exploratory case study was to explore how 6 small business owners in Tennessee successfully used crowdfunding to start, grow, or sustain their businesses. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and a review of crowdfunding project data on the internet platform including the project description, target goal, amount achieved, number of backers, and locations of the funders. Data were inductively analyzed, …


Strategies For Retaining A Multigenerational Workforce, Laurita M. Jones Jan 2017

Strategies For Retaining A Multigenerational Workforce, Laurita M. Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As organizations become more age diverse, some business leaders face challenges managing a multigenerational workforce. The purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies that leaders at a university in Northwest Florida implemented to retain their age-diverse workforce. The targeted population was higher education business managers who had success with retaining an age-diverse staff. The conceptual framework of the study was Herzberg's 2-factor theory of motivation. A significant tenet of this theory is that employees explain satisfying and dissatisfying experiences based on intrinsic and extrinsic factors related to their job functions. The data collection process included face-to-face interviews …


Social Network And Health Seeking Behavior Of Men Of West African Descent, Opeyemi Odewale Jan 2017

Social Network And Health Seeking Behavior Of Men Of West African Descent, Opeyemi Odewale

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Men are less likely than women to seek help from health services providers regarding the health issues they face. In the United States, of the various race/ethnicity populations, Black American men are least likely to seek health related help, which is reflected in the substantially higher mortality and morbidity rates in Black American men compared to other populations. Guided by the social epidemiological framework, this study examined the relationship between social network measure and health help-seeking behavior among foreign-born and U.S.-born Black American men of West African descent residing in the state of Rhode Island. A cross-sectional study design with …


Overcoming The Challenges Of Retaining Novice Teachers In A County Public School By Ernst Albert, Ernst Albert Jan 2017

Overcoming The Challenges Of Retaining Novice Teachers In A County Public School By Ernst Albert, Ernst Albert

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Retaining novice teachers in a Northeast Florida county public school is an ongoing challenge. Research indicates that 14% of new teachers will leave the field within 5 years. The purpose of this case study was to investigate the major factors that contributed to this unique group of novice teachers' decisions to continue to teach at the school during their first 5 years in the field. The societal model served as the conceptual framework for this study of factors affecting teacher turnover, with emphasis on teacher and school characteristics in relation to teacher attrition. Data collected from 9 interviews and an …


The Relationship Between Ethnic Identity And Leadership Style, Kim Renee Haney-Brown Jan 2017

The Relationship Between Ethnic Identity And Leadership Style, Kim Renee Haney-Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported workforce disparities in the representation of minority ethnic groups in leadership positions for more than 5 decades. In 2011, Executive Order 13583 initiated the Government-wide Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan, directing federal agencies to recruit a diverse workforce, cultivate inclusion across occupations, and develop strategies to enable leading a diverse workforce. This plan is important considering other research studies show various approaches to understanding leadership behaviors; however, empirical studies have yet to explore if there is a relationship between ethnic identity and leadership style to inform diversity and inclusion efforts. The …


Leading A Multigenerational Workforce In The Public Sector, Cynthia A. Thompson Jan 2017

Leading A Multigenerational Workforce In The Public Sector, Cynthia A. Thompson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

One of the demographic changes in the workplace is the presence of multiple generations working together. Some managers may find leading a multigenerational workforce a challenge, because the generational cohorts may have different work values and approaches to work. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how generational characteristics manifest in the workplace, how managers perceive a multigenerational workforce, and whether macro-level descriptions of generations creates stereotypes or recognizable indicators of behavior in the workplace. Mannheim's theory of generations and diversity management theory provided the conceptual framework for the study. Data were collected through interviews and a …


Exploring The Importance Of Soft Skills Training For Accountants, Tonja Annette Gardner Jan 2017

Exploring The Importance Of Soft Skills Training For Accountants, Tonja Annette Gardner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Regional accounting firm leaders face challenges with employees who possess strong technical skills, but lack nontechnical communicating and teamwork skills. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies regional accounting firm leaders use to train technical staff on soft skills. The human capital theory was the conceptual framework supporting the study. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with partners, leaders, managers, and human resource personnel with 5 years or more of experience who participated in the hiring, training, and professional development process at 3 regional CPA firms. The review of company documents and company website postings triangulated …


Perceived Threats To Food Security And Possible Responses Following An Agro-Terrorist Attack, Lamesha Lashal Craft Jan 2017

Perceived Threats To Food Security And Possible Responses Following An Agro-Terrorist Attack, Lamesha Lashal Craft

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks exposed vulnerabilities to U.S. homeland security and defense, leading U.S. officials to analyze threats to domestic and international interests. Terrorist attacks against food and water supplies (agro-terrorism), were deemed a national security threat because of the assessed fear, economic instability, and social instability that could occur following a food shortage. Research indicated a comprehensive response plan does not exist across the federal, state, and local levels of government to mitigate the public's possible responses to a perceived threat to food security and food shortages following an agro-terrorist attack. This ethnographic case study analyzed the …


The Educational Aspirations Of Barbadian Adolescent Mothers And Their Perceptions Of Support, Kathy-Ann Bellamy Jan 2017

The Educational Aspirations Of Barbadian Adolescent Mothers And Their Perceptions Of Support, Kathy-Ann Bellamy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adolescent girls often face barriers to fulfill their educational aspirations after childbearing. Unfulfilled goals tend to be associated with low educational attainment and other adverse outcomes for the young mothers, their children, and society. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of Barbadian young women who parented as adolescents and struggled to graduate from formal secondary school. The goal was to understand their perceptions of support for their educational aspirations by their peers and significant others. Social constructionism was the conceptual framework. Moustakas’ transcendental method guided data collection and analysis. Data were collected by …


Strategies Hospital Leaders Use In Implementing Electronic Medical Record Systems, Shaunette Miller Jan 2017

Strategies Hospital Leaders Use In Implementing Electronic Medical Record Systems, Shaunette Miller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some hospital leaders lacked strategies for implementing electronic medical record (EMR) systems. The purpose of this case study was to explore successful strategies that hospital leaders used in implementing EMR systems. The target population consisted of hospital leaders who succeeded in implementing EMR systems in a single healthcare organization located in the Los Angeles, California region. The conceptual framework used was Kotter's (1996) eight-step process for leading change, and data were collected from face-to-face recorded interviews with 5 participants and from company documents related to EMR design and development. Data were analyzed through methodological triangulation of data types, and exploring …


Multigenerational Financial Values: Differences Between Leaders In The Workplace, Terrence S. Ransom Jan 2017

Multigenerational Financial Values: Differences Between Leaders In The Workplace, Terrence S. Ransom

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Company leaders in the workplace represent all generations with diverse values, and those values influence their financial decisions in the workplace. The problem is that multigenerational company leaders and their employees possess different values from one another, which in turn creates different financial priorities for the company. The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain a better understanding of how the financial values of company leaders from different generations are developed, and how those values influence their financial decisions in the workplace. The key research question for this qualitative study examined how the financial values and decisions of company …


An Exploratory Study On The Improvement Of The Army Rapid Acquisition Process, Jason F. Tate Jan 2017

An Exploratory Study On The Improvement Of The Army Rapid Acquisition Process, Jason F. Tate

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since 2001, the Army has spent billions of dollars to develop, test, and procure equipment through the Army Rapid Acquisition Process (ARAP), a process at times used in place of the traditional Army Acquisition Process (AAP) when immediacy and customization are a priority. The ARAP was implemented to increase efficiency in delivering adequate equipment to soldiers. The ARAP has been criticized in the literature for its lack of efficiency and effectiveness in the field. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to examine ARAP deficiencies through the lens of a broad cross-section of Army acquisition functional area professionals. …


Hopeful Thinking: Conceptualizing A Future Beyond Domestic Abuse, Henri Zombil Jan 2017

Hopeful Thinking: Conceptualizing A Future Beyond Domestic Abuse, Henri Zombil

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Domestic violence is a continuing public health problem. Immigrant women facing domestic violence have additional challenges in dealing with domestic violence and accessing services. Hopeful thinking has been identified as a strategy for intervening and surviving beyond domestic violence. The purpose of this multiple descriptive case study was to explore hopeful thinking in Haitian immigrant women domestic abuse survivors' (HIDAS) conceptualizations of the future beyond domestic abuse. The framework for the study was resilience theory, which emphasizes the individual's ability to bounce back from stressful situations. This framework was used to investigate how HIDAS in the United States experience hopeful …


Lived Experiences Of Individuals Quality Of Life On Prolonged Home Mechanical Ventilation, Munyaradzi Ephie Rwakonda Jan 2017

Lived Experiences Of Individuals Quality Of Life On Prolonged Home Mechanical Ventilation, Munyaradzi Ephie Rwakonda

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Improvements in technology have allowed people with tracheostomies to live at home on mechanical ventilation (HMV). Quality of life (QOL) for HMV users has been studied quantitatively, but few qualitative studies have been published. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore QOL for individuals with tracheostomies on prolonged HMV focusing on activities of daily living (ADLs) and the role of decision- making. The Roper, Logan, and Tierney activities of living theory were used to categorize activities. Ten participants, 18 years and older, with a tracheostomy and on HMV for at least 6 months were enrolled using purposive sampling. …


Exploring Strategies Microenterprise Owners Use To Succeed In Business Beyond 2 Years, Dr. Tamika Ebony Haynes Jan 2017

Exploring Strategies Microenterprise Owners Use To Succeed In Business Beyond 2 Years, Dr. Tamika Ebony Haynes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, microenterprises, critical segment of the small business population, accounts for 110 million small businesses that source new jobs. Despite the increase in the number of created businesses in the U.S., more than 70% of microenterprise business owners are unsuccessful after 2 years. The multiple case study included 6 participants living in Houston, Texas, and intended to explore business strategies microenterprise event management owners used to succeed in business beyond 2 years. The conceptual framework that grounded the study was the 5-stage small business growth model and the 5-stage of the evolution of entrepreneurship theory. The data …


Factors Influencing African American Women To Undergo/Forego Reconstruction After Mastectomy, Senetta Jean Hunt Jan 2017

Factors Influencing African American Women To Undergo/Forego Reconstruction After Mastectomy, Senetta Jean Hunt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The factors associated with the decision of African American women to undergo/forego breast reconstruction after mastectomy has not been well researched. The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to determine the extent to which certain factors (age, religion, confidence level, and education) were associated with the decision to forgo or undergo breast reconstruction after mastectomy among African American women. Using the social-cognitive theory as the framework, the study focused on the decision-making process regarding breast reconstruction after mastectomy among African American women in Florida. The research questions for this study were to determine to what extent age, religion, confidence …


Relationship Between Admission Criteria And Program Completion In A Radiation Therapy Program, Adrienne Mae Dougherty Jan 2017

Relationship Between Admission Criteria And Program Completion In A Radiation Therapy Program, Adrienne Mae Dougherty

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Poor completion rates in the radiation therapy associate's degree program offered through a community college did not meet the standards set by the college and damaged the program's reputation. The relationship between admission criteria and program completion was not known. The purpose of this study was to determine if there were any relationships between the admission criteria (GPA in prerequisite courses, interview scores, writing sample scores, and preadmission testing scores) and students' completion of a radiation therapy associate's degree program. This correlational study used 2 stages of Tinto's retention theory: (a) recruitment and admission to college and (b) pre-entry assessment …


Improving Nurse Mentor Retention Through The Use Of Nurse Residency Programs, Morgan Newman Jan 2017

Improving Nurse Mentor Retention Through The Use Of Nurse Residency Programs, Morgan Newman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Graduate nurses beginning their nursing career require a collaborative relationship with an expert nurse mentor to make this transition successful. However, high turnover among these experienced nurse mentors is causing a problematic gap in knowledge transfer, experience, and expertise in the nursing workforce. This project investigated whether nurse mentors who mentored in a Nurse Residency Program (NRP) remained with the organization longer and were more satisfied with their mentoring experience than nurse mentors who mentored outside of a NRP. The diffusion of innovations theory was used to support the project and process of dispersing information on the outcome of the …