Digital Commons Network^™

High Tech Spatial Concentration Human Capital, Agglomeration Economies, Location Theories And Creative Cities., Songmei Li 1970-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explores four economic development theories – classical location theory, human capital theory, agglomeration economies theory and creative cities theory, and their effectiveness in explaining the spatial distribution of high tech industries across metropolitan areas. This study identifies a strong and positive role for education and top-ranked research universities on high-tech employment concentrations, thus supporting the human capital approach that promotes investment in education and academic R&D to stimulate regional high technology economic development. This study also suggests that successful high technology regions are the regions with the presence of multi-regional and multinational corporate headquarters and accessibility to an …

Death At Elmira: George W. Jernigan, William Hoffman, And The Union Prison System., Thomas Watson Jernigan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the interaction between the Union Prison System led by William Hoffman and the Confederate prisoners-of-war, specifically those held at Elmira, New York. By focusing on Hoffman's actions and decisions in the last year of the war, the Confederate death toll can be better understood.

The treatise relies heavily on The War Of The Rebellion: A Compilation Of The Official Records Of The Union And Confederate Armies. Two studies were indispensable for this study: Hesseltine's Civil War Prisons: A Study In War Psychology, and Leslie's Hunter's Ph.D. Disseration, Warden For The Union: William Hoffman (1807-1884). …

21st Century Community Learning Center Program: A Study To Evaluate The Success Of A Program In A Rural County In East Tennessee., Joy Collingsworth

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The 21st Century Community Learning Center Program is a key component in the No Child Left Behind Act. It presents an opportunity for students and their families to continue to learn new skills after the regular school day has ended. The focus of the program is to provide expanded academic enrichment opportunities for children attending low performing schools. Tutorial services and academic activities are designed to help students meet local and state academic standards in subjects such as reading and math. In addition, programs provide youth development activities, drug and violence prevention programs, technology education programs, art, music, and recreational …

Fragmentation, Sprawl And Economic Development., Grigoriy V. Ardashev 1973-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fragmentation of governments and urban sprawl has been a subject of debate for a considerable time. The discussion often centers on whether space (sprawl) and politics (fragmentation) make a difference in the economic development of metropolitan areas. The hypothesis was set to follow the argument of polycentric school of thought on the organization of metropolitan governance. It was expected that competitive local public economies would be beneficial to the economic performance of the regions. Regarding the effect of sprawl, the study assumed that following the lines of free-market defense of sprawl it would be positively associated with economic performance of …

The Alternatives To Detention Program : Assessment Of One Kentucky County's Efforts To Deinstitutionalize Status Offenders., Arthur Hayden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since the beginning of the juvenile justice movement in the United States over a century ago, considerable debate has persisted among policymakers and practitioners concerning the causes of juvenile offending and the appropriate responses to control it. Although the juvenile justice system was conceived and developed to provide individualized, benevolent treatment to young offenders, the system has gradually shifted to resemble a more punitive, adult criminal justice model. While presently the system includes characteristics of both the juvenile and adult justice models, future directions are uncertain. This is problematic for young offenders who need and deserve more solicitous care in …

Indoor Geo-Location And Tracking Of Mobile Autonomous Robot, Mahesh Ramamurthy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The field of robotics has always been one of fascination right from the day of Terminator. Even though we still do not have robots that can actually replicate human action and intelligence, progress is being made in the right direction. Robotic applications range from defense to civilian, in public safety and fire fighting. With the increase in urban-warfare robot tracking inside buildings and in cities form a very important application. The numerous applications range from munitions tracking to replacing soldiers for reconnaissance information. Fire fighters use robots for survey of the affected area. Tracking robots has been limited to the …

Correlation Of Acoustic Emission Parameters With Weight And Velocity Of Moving Vehicles, Amar Kolgaonkar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The thesis is motivated by the goal of doing initial investigation and experimentation for the development of Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) system using acoustic emission phenomenon. A great deal of research is going on for measuring the weight of moving vehicles. Weigh-in-motion of commercial vehicles is essential for management of freight traffic, highway infrastructure design and maintenance, and monitoring of heavy weight vehicles. The research work presents a methodology for correlating the weight of a moving vehicle with acoustic emission parameters (such as counts and energy). Furthermore, the correlation between the speed of vehicle with the acoustic emission parameters is developed. Preliminary …

Evaluation Of Proprietary Stormwater Treatment Devices In Field And Laboratory Conditions, Saheeda Marie Romah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Proper stormwater management acknowledges both water quantity and water quality. Historically, stormwater quantity and quality have been separately considered; runoff was routed as quickly as possible into the nearest body of water. Although this alleviates potential flooding concerns, water quality is often compromised. Common stormwater quality problems include gross pollutants, sediment, nutrients, and heavy metals. The chronic elevated presence of these pollutants is detrimental to the environment. As a result, the government has passed legislature to protect waterways. The passage of the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit requires that municipalities implement stormwater treatment techniques, known as Best Management …

Democratic Voices Speaking Loudly: Does Public Participation Yield Accountability In Special Purpose Governments?, Owen M. Beitsch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The American system of governance includes a network of state and local units identified as either general purpose or special purpose governments. The latter are often aligned with, but operate independently of, general purpose governments. Even as these special purpose or special district governments have shown extraordinary growth relative to their general purpose counterparts, there has been little interest in them or the structural characteristics that distinguish their systems for maintaining order and assuring accountable behaviors. In the meanwhile, the literature regarding accountability has been expanded materially in the last several years leading to debates about its form, component parts, …

Regional Readiness For Intelligence Information Sharing To Support Homeland Security, Christine Genet Kemp

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Markle Task Force on National Security in the Information Age was created to produce recommendations on how to best leverage intelligence and information to improve security without compromising existing civil liberties. Their second report proposed that the government set up an information-sharing network using currently available technology to improve our ability to prevent terrorist attacks, while protecting civil liberties. The Markle recommendations have been incorporated into the recent Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004. The proposition is that the Markle task force recommendations are sufficient to achieve the required data integration in the United States. To affirm …

Psychosocial Antecedents Of Sex Offender Criminality And Violence., Sonia Marie Perry Mills 1965-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sexual abuse and sexual violence perpetrated against women and children in the United States are social problems that need to be addressed. The United States is one of the most sexually violent societies in the world, having one of the highest rates of any industrialized country of rape and sexual violence (Stewart, 2002). Although any type of sexual victimization is problematic, sexual violence in particular can have particularly devastating effects for the victim. We urgently need to know why some adults sexually abuse and assault (Cannon, 2001). Examination of the psychosocial antecedents of sex offender criminality and violence will add …

Louise C. Morel, The Louisville Women's City Club, And Municipal Housekeeping In Louisville, 1917-1935., Gail Elizabeth Chooljian Nall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Louise C. Morel was a leading social reformer in Louisville from 1917 through the early 1940s. Morel's work is a primary example of the continuation of Progressive Era ideals into the decades after the traditional end of the Progressive Era. Because the areas in which she worked were those that had traditionally appealed to and benefited women and children, Morel became known as a municipal housekeeper. With the help of fellow members of the Louisville Women's City Club, Morel conducted numerous surveys, organized conventions to educate the public, gave speeches, and urged city leaders to institute reforms in various areas. …

Validity Of Self-Reported Data On Seat Belt Use: The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System., Agnes Mary Banks Samples

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Personal lifestyle and behavior are associated with the 10 leading causes of death for Americans. Motor vehicle crashes kill more than 40,000 people and injure more than 3 million people annually in the United States, representing one of America's most serious health and economic problems. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), someone in America is injured in a motor vehicle crash every 14 seconds and someone is killed every 12 minutes (as cited in Ad Council, 2003). It is widely accepted that increased use of safety belts and reductions in driving while impaired are two of the …

Techniques For Assessing And Improving Performance In Navigation And Wayfinding Using Mobile Augmented Reality, Brian Goldiez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Augmented reality is a field of technology in which the real world is overlaid with additional information from a computer generated display. Enhancements to augmented reality technology presently support limited mobility which is expected to increase in the future to provide much greater real world functionality. This work reports on a set of experiments that investigate performance in search and rescue navigating tasks using augmented reality. Augmentation consisted of a spatially and temporally registered map of a maze that was overlaid onto a real world maze. Participants were required to traverse the maze, answer spatially oriented questions in the maze, …

Analysis And Integration Of A Debris Model In The Virtual Range Projec, Luis Robledo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

After the accident of the STS 107 Columbia Space Shuttle, great concern has been focused on the risk associated to the population on the ground. Before this accident happened, re-entry routes as well as risk calculation of were not of public concern. Two issues that have been raised from this lamentable accident relate to spacecraft security and to public safety. The integration of a debris model has been part of the original conceptual architecture of the Virtual Range Project. Its integration has been considered as a specific research due to the complexity of the models and the difficulties to obtain …

Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (Norm) From Produced Waters In Mississippi Oil And Gas Wells, Clayton Mckay

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Sub-Optimal Ultra-Wide Band Receivers, Nilesh Bhuvanendran

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ultra-wide Band (UWB) has sparked a lot of interest lately from the industry and academia. The growing capacity of the wireless industry is requires a new communication system that satisfies the high data rate which does not interfere with existing RF systems. UWB promises to be this new technology. UWB also promises low power, low cost and flexibility. The UWB Channel opens up a huge new wireless channel with Giga Hertz Capacities as well as the highest spatial capacities measured in bits per hertz per square meter. When properly implemented UWB channel can share spectrum with traditional radio systems without …

Police Officers' Perception Of The Validity Of The General Theory Of Crime., William Jaison Giesler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study measured police officers perception of the validity of General Theory of Crime. Using a sample of 117 officers and an adapted version of the Grasmick et al. (1993) self-control scale, this study measures the level of agreement officers exhibit that low self-control traits are present in property and violent offenders. Measurement is also performed to determine variation in officers agreement based on the personal characteristics gender, age, education, experience, and rank.

Findings indicate officers show agreement with self-control items across the six dimensions of self control traits, as well as significant variation in agreement with the property offender …

Oleoresin Capsicum: An Analysis Of The Implementation Of Pepper Spray Into The Law Enforcement Use Of Force Continuum In A Selected Police Department., Lydia Denise Adkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study focused on the use of oleoresin capsicum (OC) as a means of force and also tested the effectiveness of OC.

A medium-size police agency was studied from 1991-2001. The following reports were collected for analysis: excessive force reports, reports of officers injured during arrests, use of hands-on restraint, and use of police baton.

This study revealed an increase in reported incidents of excessive force and a reduction in the number of officers injuired making arrests while using various defensive techniques.

Implementing OC into the force continuum remains a solid decision in review of this research. This study has …

Role Of Police, Prosecutors And Defense Attorneys In Traffic Accident Investigation And Adjudication In Chattanooga, Tennessee., Karen L. Beisel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study provides, via personal interviews, a qualitative examination of police, district attorneys, public defenders and private attorneys who were involved in traffic accident investigation and criminal court adjudication in Chattanooga, Tennessee. These data were compiled to develop a profile of the actors and their involvement in the process of a criminal charge stemming from a traffic accident. The literature suggests that the actors work as a team to process a case from investigation to adjudication; however, the actors in Chattanooga, Tennessee were fragmented in their handling of a case. This study collectively examines police and attorneys in relation to …

A Study Of Grade Distribution And Grade-Point Averages Of The Tennessee Board Of Regents Associate-Degree Nursing Programs., Marylou Reagan Apple

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The End Of Camelot: An Examination Of The Presidency Of John F. Kennedy In 1963., Christina Paige Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis addresses events and issues that occurred in 1963, how President Kennedy responded to them, and what followed after Kennedy's assassination. This thesis was created by using books published about Kennedy, articles from magazines, documents, telegrams, speeches, and Internet sources. What has been disclosed is that many of the legends attributed to Kennedy simply are not true. In examining this thesis, the reader will understand what Kennedy's political interests were and the impact of his Presidency on future generations.

Characteristics Of Recidivism Among Intensive And Regular Probationers., Jennifer Joseph

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined characteristics of 100 intensive probationers and 100 regular probationers to have a better understanding of why some probationers recidivate and others do not. Logistic analysis was used to analyze the following variables: age, race, gender, employment status, level of education, convicted offense, prior misdemeanor arrests, prior felony arrests, history of drug abuse, and type of probation. It was discovered that age, prior misdemeanor arrests, and offender category were significant variables correlated to recidivism. These findings are consistent with prior research and provide information that can be helpful to probation and parole officers in their supervision of offenders …

The Fables Of Superintendent Don Paolo: Object Lessons On Community Upheaval, Community Efficacy, Heritage Knowledge, And Education, Orlando Villella

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In order to understand the economically, and academically distressed community, we must understand it on its own terms. This study used the narrative form as the source of inquiry using the fabulistic form as methodology. The novelist Calvino has served as a guide to this narrative method. Narrative is employed to gain knowledge of the community and this study examines how the community expresses shared values through fabulistic narratives. The problem examined in this study is discovery of narratives and fables of past and present successes. The research examines how the community views itself, its role in the educational process, …

Determining The Level Of Patient Care Specialty Service Development And Entrepreneurial Characteristics Present In Independent Community Pharmacy, Joseph Keith Bonnarens

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

An Analysis Of Workplace Violence Incidents In Virginia Community Colleges And The Major Employers, Betsy E. Summerfield

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The media during the past ten years has given considerable attention to the workplace violence in factories, service organizations, and the public school systems throughout the United States. This study compared patterns of workplace violence in the 23 member institutions of the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) with the patterns of workplace violence in selected for-profit service and manufacturing employers in Virginia, to determine if workplace violence incidents occurring in the VCCS's member institutions reflect the workplace violence incidents experienced by business and industry within each member institution's service region. Chi-square analysis showed a significant difference in non-violent conflict training …

Thomas P. Brady : A Passion For Order, Daniel M. Hoehler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Measurement Of Total Quality Management In Selected North Carolina Community Colleges, Gene C. Couch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many of the colleges in the North Carolina Community College System have embarked on a "quality" journey to continuously improve the educational programs and services that they provide to their communities. The primary focus of this study was to determine the level of Total Quality Management (TQM) principles implemented in selected North Carolina community colleges and to determine if there was a difference in the perception of its implementation between administrators and faculty. Additionally, this study examined the influence of the following variables on the implementation of TQM in selected North Carolina community colleges: personal factors (age, gender, ethnicity, and …

The Mississippi Council Of The Association Of Southern Women For The Prevention Of Lynching, Caroline Beverly Herring

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Public Journalism: Attitudes And Practices, Poonkulali Thangavelu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

[No abstract provided.]