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Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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Equal Access To Justice: A Case Study Of Eviction Victims Without Legal Aid And Post Criminality In Houston, Texas., Okanlawon Jamiu Akinwonmi Jul 2025

Equal Access To Justice: A Case Study Of Eviction Victims Without Legal Aid And Post Criminality In Houston, Texas., Okanlawon Jamiu Akinwonmi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The unending increase in eviction rates and existing housing problems in the United States of America is not an exaggeration. Heterogeneity of requirements or eviction laws is a pervasive phenomenon across the states nationwide. These fundamental issues require immediate attention and must be addressed. The purpose of this study is to explore the dynamic gap in our criminal justice system, the lack of legal aid, and potential criminality resulting from eviction and housing problems. Moreover, the psychological, physical, and emotional effects of these problems on the victims in relation to the roles of social workers, community advocates, and housing policy …


A Qualitative Case Study Exploring The Decision-Making Criteria Of Policymakers In The State Of Michigan To Reinstate A Universal Helmet Law, Eberley Nicole Adams Jul 2025

A Qualitative Case Study Exploring The Decision-Making Criteria Of Policymakers In The State Of Michigan To Reinstate A Universal Helmet Law, Eberley Nicole Adams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Policymakers are elected to create, amend, or repeal legislation that impacts public welfare; however, little is known about the specific criteria used when making public health and safety decisions, particularly regarding motorcycle helmet laws. In 2012, Michigan repealed its universal helmet law (UHL) after 35 years, replacing it with a partial helmet law specifying requirements for helmetless riding. Despite an increase in unhelmeted fatalities, the UHL has not been reinstated, raising questions about the legislative decision-making process. Prior research has found that factors such as budgeting, statistical data, interest groups, education, income, political stability, and public opinion may guide these …


Perspectives And Experiences Of Clinicians Who Treat Incarcerated Youth In Florida, Rose-Lissa Meline Regnier Jul 2025

Perspectives And Experiences Of Clinicians Who Treat Incarcerated Youth In Florida, Rose-Lissa Meline Regnier

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study explored the experiences and perceptions of social workers, human services professionals, and mental health counselors, psychologists, or psychiatrists who treat youth with mental health issues within the criminal justice system in Florida. Using a qualitative research method, this study was framed by relational theory. Ten participants were interviewed regarding the perspectives, challenges, successes of clinicians and how they incorporate the needs and perceptions of youth into their treatment approaches. After coding and thematic analysis, five key themes emerged from the data. First, systemic challenges and inefficiencies in service delivery were evident, highlighting gaps in execution, resource shortages, and …


Perspectives On Ethnic Federalism In Ethiopia, Girum Grbremariam Alemayehu Jul 2025

Perspectives On Ethnic Federalism In Ethiopia, Girum Grbremariam Alemayehu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ethnic federalism in Ethiopia has garnered significant scholarly attention for its role in shaping ethnic identity, governance, and national cohesion. However, limited research has explored how this political structure affects Ethiopian diaspora communities. This study addressed the problem of increasing ethnic divisions among Ethiopian immigrants in the Denver metropolitan area, which challenges community integration and shared national identity. Despite the growing presence of Ethiopian Americans, the literature lacks an in-depth understanding of their perspectives on ethnic federalism. The purpose of this ethnographic qualitative study was to explore how Ethiopian immigrants in Denver perceive its impact on their social, political, and …


A Chat Room In A City Of Missouri's Public Safety Answering Point, Rochele Wynee' Young Jul 2025

A Chat Room In A City Of Missouri's Public Safety Answering Point, Rochele Wynee' Young

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite new and emerging communications technologies to improve access to 911 emergency services for people with speech, hearing, and cognitive disabilities, there continue to be access barriers for those who may require silent communications due to the nature of the emergency. Chat rooms in 911 communications present a promising solution to this challenge. However, the current literature has inadequately examined the use of chat rooms in 911 communications, mainly due to the nascent nature of this technology. This study aimed to fill that gap by providing valuable insights to enhance access to 911 emergency services for individuals who may require …


Mental Health Services Utilization And Health Insurance Status Among Firefighters, Yvette Evans Jul 2025

Mental Health Services Utilization And Health Insurance Status Among Firefighters, Yvette Evans

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Firefighting exposes individuals to significant psychological dangers, leading to mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder. This study investigated the underuse of mental health services among firefighters, focusing on the relationship between health insurance status and service utilization while considering age, gender, race, and ethnicity. Data from the National Health Interview Survey within the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series were analyzed using a quantitative approach. The study employed logistic regression to examine the likelihood of mental health service utilization based on health insurance status, adjusting for demographic factors. The sample included 1,526 firefighters, predominantly male (78.9%) and …


Prosecuting Attorneys’ Experiences And Perceptions Of Evidence That Most Often Leads To Wrongful Convictions At The Pretrial Stage, Shari Lee Barton Harrell Jul 2025

Prosecuting Attorneys’ Experiences And Perceptions Of Evidence That Most Often Leads To Wrongful Convictions At The Pretrial Stage, Shari Lee Barton Harrell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Before trial, prosecuting attorneys obtain and review evidence, including the types of evidence (i.e., perjury/false accusations, official misconduct, mistaken eyewitness testimony, false/misleading forensic evidence, false confessions, and inadequate defense counsel) that most often lead to wrongful convictions. The role of the prosector after conviction has been explored. The scholarly community needed to understand how prosecuting attorneys view this evidence at the pretrial stage so some wrongful convictions may be prevented. The purpose of this study was to explore prosecuting attorneys’ experience and perceptions regarding the evidence that most often leads to wrongful convictions at the pretrial stage. As part of …


Examining Firefighters’ Perspectives On Critical Incident Stress Debriefing, Olivia O'Hare Jun 2025

Examining Firefighters’ Perspectives On Critical Incident Stress Debriefing, Olivia O'Hare

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Firefighters are routinely exposed to critical incidents, potentially resulting in mental health consequences. Critical incident stress debriefing (CISD) is a common postcritical incident intervention used among fire departments in the United States to address these mental health impacts. Understanding the perspectives of firefighters’ experience with CISD can contribute information to the social work profession, may engage firefighters in the discussion surrounding their mental health needs, and could provide effective postcritical incident coping strategies. The purpose and research questions of this study were focused through a vicarious trauma lens was to understand firefighters’ perspectives and experiences of CISD, explore CISD trauma …


Probation Officers’ Perspectives Of Outside Services In Reducing Recidivism, Karla Murguia Jun 2025

Probation Officers’ Perspectives Of Outside Services In Reducing Recidivism, Karla Murguia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has underscored the critical role of probation officers in improving rates of recidivism. However, the literature on the comprehensive impact of outside services on recidivism was sparse and underdeveloped. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how probation officers in court services and a community corrections agency in Garden City, Kansas perceived the utility of outside services in reducing adult recidivism for probationers. Ecological systems theory was used to guide the study. Eight probation officers recruited via purposive sampling participated in semistructured interviews. Transcribed data were analyzed using a six-step thematic analysis protocol. Findings revealed that probationers …


Self-Initiated Police Activity, Crime, And Complaints Against Police, Vincent Joseph Schaan Jun 2025

Self-Initiated Police Activity, Crime, And Complaints Against Police, Vincent Joseph Schaan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This quantitative study aimed to examine the statistical relationship between self-initiated police activity, citizen complaints against police officers, sustained findings of misconduct, and crime within three police agencies located in the southwest United States. Prevailing law enforcement perception fueled by protests and riots infers that reducing proactive policing will decrease complaints. Using chi-square and binary logistic regression, this study analyzed 53,585 police and public contacts to answer three core questions. The statistical tests found a statistically significant inverse relationship between self-initiated police activity and complaints against police, with an odds ratio of 2.386 (95% CI: 1.62,3.50; p<.001). The findings indicate that officers who engage in self-initiated police activity have a 35.95% lower statistical probability of facing a citizen complaint. This study also found no statistically significant relationship between actual police misconduct and self-initiated police activity. The findings advocate for evidence-based decision-making based on statistical data, which found a reduced probability of complaints when law enforcement officers initiate public and police interactions. These findings contribute to positive social change by providing critical knowledge and information, and creating the potential for law enforcement officers and agencies to improve their relationships with the public by reducing complaints. Increasing self-initiated police activity provides a gateway to a reduction in crime and fewer complaints against police; therefore, data and information may motivate agencies and officers to increase self-initiated police activity to help reduce complaints and reduce crime.


Masculine Traits In Female Serial Killers: A Qualitative Analysis, Ashley Polk Jun 2025

Masculine Traits In Female Serial Killers: A Qualitative Analysis, Ashley Polk

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Female serial killers represent a minority in criminal statistics; their cases offer significant insights regarding broader patterns of serial killing behavior. The purpose of this study is to understand the role masculine traits play in the lives of female serial killers. This study involved using a qualitative research method to understand specific characteristics of female serial killers with common masculine traits and childhood experiences. Common masculine traits researched in this study were lack of emotions, aggression, control, dominance, and manipulation. The trauma control model and the gender scheme theory were the theoretical frameworks for this study. Data were collected by …


Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence And Well-Being Among New York Police Department Law Enforcement Agents, La’Lisa Scudder Jun 2025

Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence And Well-Being Among New York Police Department Law Enforcement Agents, La’Lisa Scudder

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem this quantitative study addressed was police officers’ willingness to use organizational help-seeking interventions and rely on organizational support to mitigate operational and organizational stress. Previous literature discussed how officers engaged in different maladaptive coping behaviors as a result of work related stressor or low well-being, divorce, depression, prescription drug abuse, alcoholism, and suicide. The purpose of this quantitative correlational cross-sectional study was to examine the relationship between emotional intelligence and well-being among law enforcement agents and examine agents’ willingness to use organizational-based intervention services. The organizational support theory and the social exchange theory provided the theoretical framework for …


Lived Experiences Of Sex Offenders On Probation With Housing And Employment, Katheryn Winslow Jun 2025

Lived Experiences Of Sex Offenders On Probation With Housing And Employment, Katheryn Winslow

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lived Experiences of Sex Offenders on Probation with Housing and Employment by Katheryn Winslow MA, South University, 2013 BS, University of Central Florida, 2010 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Psychology Walden University May 2025


Mental Health Counselors’ Lived Experiences With The Legal System In Matters Concerning Their Clients, Kendria L. Brown May 2025

Mental Health Counselors’ Lived Experiences With The Legal System In Matters Concerning Their Clients, Kendria L. Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental health counselors frequently engage with the legal system in ways that significantly impact their clinical roles, ethical decision-making, and emotional well-being. Despite the high stakes of these encounters, little is known about how counselors experience and make meaning of such legal involvement. This study explored the central research question: What are the lived experiences of mental health counselors when they are involved with the legal system in matters concerning their clients? This transcendental phenomenological study, grounded in Husserl’s philosophy of exploring lived experience through the suspension of presuppositions, investigates the experiences of mental health counselors when they are involved …


Strategies To Eliminate Counterfeit Medications In The Pharmaceutical Supply Chain, Clarence Edward Mosby May 2025

Strategies To Eliminate Counterfeit Medications In The Pharmaceutical Supply Chain, Clarence Edward Mosby

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Counterfeiting and drug diversion in the U.S. supply chain is a business problem that results in medication shortages for many ill patients. Successful strategies to augment the distribution of pedigree pharmaceuticals and reduce supply chain medication shortages are important to community pharmacists. Grounded in the theory of constraints as the conceptual framework, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry study was to explore the strategies that pharmacists use to detect and reduce the dispensing of counterfeit medicines. The participants were 6 pharmacists in the Northeastern United States. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and publicly available documents. Through thematic analysis, …


Exploring The Underutilization Of Ai In Courtroom Decision-Making Processes, Dominique Lashaun Hilliard May 2025

Exploring The Underutilization Of Ai In Courtroom Decision-Making Processes, Dominique Lashaun Hilliard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The underutilization of AI in Texas state courtrooms challenges judicial efficiency, fairness, and transparency. Despite AI’s potential to enhance evidence management and decision-making, its adoption remains limited. Legal professionals and information technology (IT) managers stress the need for strategies to address these barriers and promote equitable justice. The purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study, which was grounded in the technology acceptance model, diffusion of innovation theory, and unified theory of acceptance and use of technology, was to explore strategies IT managers use to implement AI in criminal justice information systems. Semi-structured interviews and organizational documents provided data for thematic analysis, …


Evaluating The Impact Of Anti-Vaccine Online Search Trends During The Covid-19 Pandemic On Adolescent Pertussis-Containing Vaccine Completion, Deborah L. Fisher May 2025

Evaluating The Impact Of Anti-Vaccine Online Search Trends During The Covid-19 Pandemic On Adolescent Pertussis-Containing Vaccine Completion, Deborah L. Fisher

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adolescent completion of pertussis-containing vaccines is a public health concern, especially with rising online anti-vaccine misinformation. Incomplete vaccination increases risk for preventable diseases and impacts community health. A gap in the literature on the relationship between online anti-vaccine search trends during the COVID-19 pandemic and adolescent pertussis vaccine completion was addressed in this quantitative, repeated cross-sectional study. Andersen’s behavioral model of health services use guided the study. Secondary data from the 2019 and 2022 National Immunization Survey-Teen (NIS-Teen) compared adolescents aged 13–17 in the five U.S. states with the highest (n=5,464) versus the five with the lowest (n=3.031) population-adjusted anti-vaccine …


Public Policy And Homeless Youth In Kansas, Esther Abigail Andrew May 2025

Public Policy And Homeless Youth In Kansas, Esther Abigail Andrew

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Youth homelessness rose in Johnson County, Kansas, by 37 percent, partly due to family conflict and socioeconomic challenges. The lack of guidance, social support, and resources can create a domino effect. While existing literature has examined youth homelessness at the national level and in other sub-national locations, the impact of federal and state policies related to homelessness among youth in Johnson County, Kansas, has not been explored. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions and practices of administrators in homeless services who manage federal and state funding guided by public policies for homeless youth, based …


Prohibitive Factors Of Successful Completion In Rural Drug Courts: A Quantitative Study, Travis Zimmerman May 2025

Prohibitive Factors Of Successful Completion In Rural Drug Courts: A Quantitative Study, Travis Zimmerman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Drug courts have been heralded as largely successful alternative sentencing programs for criminal drug offenders. While these programs demonstrate their ability to be effective with clients, little insight has been gained into the factors that impact client success and failure. The study utilized data from the Multi-site Adult Drug Court Evaluation (MADCE) to investigate the factors that lead to program failure for participants in drug court. Borrowing from the tenants of generalized strain theorists, the study batched together raw data into four “strain factors,” which were then analyzed to discern any corollary effect between the presence of these strains and …


Reasonable Suspicion And Racial Profiling In The Enforcement Of Immigration Laws In Arizona, George L. Wajackoyah May 2025

Reasonable Suspicion And Racial Profiling In The Enforcement Of Immigration Laws In Arizona, George L. Wajackoyah

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The delegation of immigration enforcement authority to local law enforcement under Section 287(g) raised concerns about increased racial profiling, fueling fear and distrust in immigrant communities. Understanding these effects aided in evaluating the broader impact of immigration policies on public safety and community relations. Grounded in critical race theory, this study explored how Section 287(g) enabled racial profiling by giving local law enforcement broad discretionary authority over immigration enforcement. A qualitative research design was employed using thematic analysis of interview data from 26 immigrants and law enforcement officers. Manual coding and NVivo software were utilized to conduct the analysis. The …


Burnout, Life Satisfaction, And Meaning-Focused Coping In Correctional Mental Health Providers, Danielle Janet Tsamouris May 2025

Burnout, Life Satisfaction, And Meaning-Focused Coping In Correctional Mental Health Providers, Danielle Janet Tsamouris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Studies have found that burnout among correctional mental health providers is related to unique stressors that impact their physical, psychological, and emotional health, including the perceived and actual threat of violence. Using the transactional theory of stress and coping, the purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the influence of burnout and meaning-focused coping strategies on life satisfaction in correctional mental health providers. Online survey data from 102 master’s-holding correctional mental health professionals were recruited by SurveyMonkey who also administered the survey. Results from a standard multiple regression analysis suggested that meaning-focused coping strategies significantly and positively influenced life …


Impact Of Safety Practices On Laboratory-Acquired Infections In Clinical Laboratories From 2018 To 2023, Lori Bane May 2025

Impact Of Safety Practices On Laboratory-Acquired Infections In Clinical Laboratories From 2018 To 2023, Lori Bane

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Laboratorians identifying unknown pandemic pathogens face elevated risks of laboratory-acquired infections yet limited research examines how regulated safety practices influence these risks. This quantitative, correlational study used the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s secondary data (2018–2023) to examine two research questions. The first one questioned whether there were differences in safety incidents between registered and exempt clinical laboratories. The second research question investigated whether there was an association of laboratory incidents between BSL-2 and BSL-3 laboratories. The research was limited to incident reports from registered and exempted clinical laboratories working in BSL-2 and BSL-3 conditions. Guided by the Health …


Preventing Female Inmates’ High Recidivism In One Parole Reentry Program, Erika Galarza May 2025

Preventing Female Inmates’ High Recidivism In One Parole Reentry Program, Erika Galarza

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Recidivism among formerly incarcerated women is a challenging issue for one state prison system. Effective and fully enrolled programs to support recently released women are essential to stopping recidivism, as women often face problems such as trauma, abuse, or mental health disorders, all of which may require special care. The purpose of this study was to determine the primary outcomes of the One Parole Reentry Program’s (OPRP) effectiveness in preventing female recidivism at prison facilities and what improvements may enhance future outcomes. The state’s parole program curriculum assessment guidelines and their rehabilitation model were used as the framework to assess …


Strategies For Intimate Partner And Domestic Violence Survivorship, Kimberly Renee Best May 2025

Strategies For Intimate Partner And Domestic Violence Survivorship, Kimberly Renee Best

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Domestic violence victims suffer not only physical abuse but also emotional, psychological, and economic violence, leading to long-term trauma, poverty, and recovery barriers. At least 40% of victims of abuse and their children have experienced some form of violence. The lack of shelters, counseling, and legal support deepens the sense of hopelessness victims often feel. In this study, the gap in literature was addressed by exploring coping strategies of survivors of intimate partner and domestic violence in rural North Carolina. The social and economic effects of survivorship were explored in this study, especially the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, …


Avoiding Recidivism Of Recently Released Offenders In North Carolina, Josue Genaro Galvez May 2025

Avoiding Recidivism Of Recently Released Offenders In North Carolina, Josue Genaro Galvez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a problem with recidivism in the North Carolina prison system and the United States. This study fills the gap in the literature by focusing on what life experiences contribute to behaviors in recently released offenders not to reoffend in North Carolina. Edmund Husserl's (1913) Transcendental Phenomenology used several angles of perception and a thematic analysis of the participant’s lived experiences. This study employed a purposive sampling method by targeting 17 participants who may have represented characteristics of the intended population. Researchers do not know what kept these released offenders from avoiding prison. This phenomenological design focused on the …


Gender Differences In Factors Influencing Problematic Sexuality: A Comparative Analysis Using The Midsa Assessment, Brandon Andrew Lozano May 2025

Gender Differences In Factors Influencing Problematic Sexuality: A Comparative Analysis Using The Midsa Assessment, Brandon Andrew Lozano

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Problematic sexuality among college students is a complex and understudied issue, particularly regarding gender-based differences in affective instability and sexual compulsivity. While prior research has focused mainly on male populations, limited evidence exists about how these factors manifest among female students or whether gender moderates these relationships. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study is to examine whether gender moderates the relationship between factors affecting sexual compulsivity as measured by the Multidimensional Inventory of Development, Sex, and Aggression (MIDSA). The MIDSA, originally developed for male sexual offenders, has since been administered to both male and female populations. Findings from hierarchical …


African American Men’S Perception Of Fear Of A Deadly Encounter With Police During Traffic Stops In Detroit, Delshawn King May 2025

African American Men’S Perception Of Fear Of A Deadly Encounter With Police During Traffic Stops In Detroit, Delshawn King

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative, phenomenological study is an examination of the fear of deadly encounters during traffic stops as experienced by seven African American men in Detroit. This fear is rooted in the historical context of slavery, where laws permitted the use of force to control African Americans. Using the critical race theory framework, the impact of traffic stops on African American men was explored, including how these encounters contribute to fear, psychological distress, and potential escalation of violence in interactions with law enforcement. The study shows that the fear of police encounters significantly impacts the psychological well-being, trust, and security of …


How Do African American Women In Halfway Housing Perceive Their Experiences With Mental And Emotional Rehabilitation, Eiyana Middleton May 2025

How Do African American Women In Halfway Housing Perceive Their Experiences With Mental And Emotional Rehabilitation, Eiyana Middleton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

After reviewing the literature, Black women living in halfway housing needed more culturally accommodative and responsive access to mental health care. Despite recent efforts to improve the access and quality of mental health services for Black Americans, some of the most common barriers that continued to exist include and were not limited to the following: stigma associated with mental illness and distrust of the health care system. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand Black women’s perceptions of their mental and emotional rehabilitation while living in halfway housing. The hermeneutic phenomenology theory was most appropriate as it …


The Effectiveness Of Postincarceration Reentry Programming In Fostering Community Reintegration For Women, La Shawn B. Kelley May 2025

The Effectiveness Of Postincarceration Reentry Programming In Fostering Community Reintegration For Women, La Shawn B. Kelley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Identifying gaps in reentry programs for formerly incarcerated women is challenging due to the lack of evaluations that include the perspectives of the transitioning women on which components most effectively support their reintegration. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the experiences and perceptions of transitioning women who received reentry services, in order to assess program effectiveness in community reintegration and inform future interventions. The research question for this study was, how do women served by Organization A’s reentry program describe the program’s effectiveness in preparing them for community reintegration after incarceration? To answer the practice-focused research …


Treatment-Seeking Behavior: A Quantitative Study Of Firefighters And Mental Health Literacy, Sarah Thompson May 2025

Treatment-Seeking Behavior: A Quantitative Study Of Firefighters And Mental Health Literacy, Sarah Thompson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The mental health of firefighters is a pressing concern, especially given the increasing suicide rates within this demographic. This quantitative nonexperimental study examined the impact of mental health literacy on the intention of firefighters to seek help for personal or emotional issues, employing the Mental Health Literacy Scale and the General Help-Seeking Questionnaire. Key variables, including years of service, rank, and age, were analyzed for their influence on this relationship. Grounded in the conservation of resources theory, the study aimed to answer two primary research questions: the predictive relationship between mental health literacy and help-seeking behavior, and the role of …