Digital Commons Network^™

Walking Atm's: A Criminological Examination Of Hispanic Robbery Victimization Pre And Post Hurricane Katrina In Metropolitan New Orleans, Dennis Thornton

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina sparked the largest influx of Hispanic laborers in the metropolitan New Orleans area ever recorded in Louisianas history. Inhabiting impoverished neighborhoods with minimal resources, unable to speak the language and illegal in status, may prime this migrant class as vulnerable targets of robbery. Hence, robberies against Hispanics have increased in Jefferson Parish, which is the basis for the present study. The intention of this research is to ascertain whether such robbery victims sustain greater secondary violence during the commission of the crime than that of Non-Hispanics and also if geographic confinement is contributory factor to …

The Resettlement Process In The Lignite Mining Areas Of Kosovo : [Presentation Given February 23, 2010], Besnik Haziri

Theses

The resettlement process for the purposes of exploiting natural resources often causes problems for governments and the people concerned. This is the case in most countries. In fact, the use of private agricultural land or the construction of industrial buildings for the purpose of exploiting natural resources can be relatively easily compensated with money or other benefits. Industrial buildings can be rebuilt at another location, and agricultural land can be exchanged for other land owned by the company. However, when it comes to the requirement to demolish and/or relocate houses, then the question is much more complex than just compensation …

Enhancing Adaptation To Climate Change By Integrating Climate Risk Into Long-Term Development Plans And Disaster Management, Emma E. Porio, Archana Patankar, Anand Patwardhan, Wijitbusaba Ann Marome

Sociology & Anthropology Department Faculty Publications

Extreme weather events affect vulnerable urban areas adversely, with substantial damage, disruption of normal economic and social activities and services and loss of human life and can also alter the medium or long-term development trajectory of the cities. Thus, disaster management is an important context for integrating adaptation into decision-making for the cities at risk. The APNfunded research project in Mumbai, Bangkok and Manila has been undertaken with the primary objective of identifying and measuring the short to medium-term impacts and responses to extreme weather events and their policy implications for long-term adaptation capacity and development planning for the cities. …

The Relationship Of Depression With Intrinsic And Extrinsic Components Of Religiosity In The Older Adult Female, Jacqueline Anne Nuval

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this doctoral research was to determine whether religious activity and general health would predict depression in older adult women living alone in the community who are widowed, divorced, separated, or never married. Variables considered included intrinsic and extrinsic components of religiosity, level of depression, anxiety and panic attacks, general health, and a group of behaviors classified as Religious Attitudes and Behaviors (RAB), which considered importance of religion, religious participation, regularity of religious observance, and religious organization/social support. Components of extrinsic religiosity and intrinsic religiosity were measured by Intrinsic/Extrinsic – Revised (I/E-R). Levels of depression were measured by …

Perceptions Of Faculty Caring: Comparison Of Distance And Traditional Graduate Nursing Students, Lea R. Hall

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The concept of caring has played a vital role in nursing education. Role modeling has been identified as the primary way to teach caring and has been investigated extensively. As caring has evolved, so has the ways in which we educate nurses. Countless institutions now offer distance education programs in nursing in an effort to address the nurse and nurse educator shortage. It is unclear, however, from the nursing education literature if the modeling of caring can be transferred to students in a distance learning environment. This study investigated the impact of learning environment, program satisfaction, and persistence on graduate …

Aircraft Deconfliction Responsibility Across En Route Sectors In Nextgen Separation Assurance, Christopher Donald Douglas Cabrall

Master's Theses

The subject of the current research is a Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) concept that involves automated separation assurance developed to enable controllers to provide both safe and efficient air traffic services at much higher traffic densities than possible today. The study investigated the issue of how responsibility should be handled between controllers for the resolution of a conflict that is predicted to occur in a sector other than where it was detected. Two possibilities, a De-Conflicting AirPlanes procedure (DCAP) versus a De-Conflicting AirSpace procedure (DCAS), were examined under human-in-the-loop simulations with scripted aircraft conflicts. Results showed that the …

The Slave Trade Is Back: Confronting Human Trafficking In Canada And Beyond, Benjamin Perrin

All Faculty Publications

Individual liberty is being systematically attacked in Canada and around the world with a resurgence in the last two decades of human trafficking — a modern-day form of slavery. Modern-day slavery is thriving in countries as diverse as Cambodia and Costa Rica, India and Italy, as well as the Ukraine and the United States itself. International policing agencies say that illegal profits from modern-day slavery rival that of drug and weapons trafficking. While countries around the world have been tackling the issue for over a decade, Canada’s response has been comparatively lethargic due to a lack of widespread awareness about …

Investigating Attributes - From Technologist To Business Leader, Christopher Kronenthal

Theses

As technology matures, its proliferation within an organization is ever more evident, providing a myriad of opportunities for career advancement and visibility for those specialized in the field. Taking advantage of this environment requires certain skill sets and personality traits. This thesis attempts to synthesize two disparate categories of professional aptitude (technologist and executive/business leader) by utilizing the common psychological profile platform known as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), and then, apply that synthesis to an analysis of whether or not a correlation exists between the two groups. The key denoting factor amongst the two demographics in the supporting studies …

An Analytic Investigation Into Self Organizing Maps And Their Network Topologies, Renee Baltimore

Theses

This paper details master's thesis work involving research and investigation into the approach of self-organizing maps for clustering of data, more specifically, clustering of image data, and how this can be used in understanding image composition. This work will build upon ideas which have previously been explored, such as using self organizing maps for identifying and grouping different regions of an image which may possess similar features. A large part of this research is based upon experimentation with a variety of topological models of the self-organizing map network and investigation into what advantages these different topologies afford the network in …

Does Dual Task Interference Affect Concurrent Duration Production?, Mary Merlau

Theses

Time perception has been cited as a good measure of workload because it seldom interferes with performance of tasks that do not require time estimation, is easy to implement, and is sensitive to task difficulty (Hart, 1975a; Zakay & Shub, 1998). It was hypothesized that duration productions could be used to measure workload caused by two word tasks that would interfere with one another as outlined by Wickens' (1980) multiple resource theory. To test this hypothesis participants estimated a 15 second duration while performing a visual animal name detection task, along with an auditory animal name detection task, or a …

The Quasi-Class Action Method Of Managing Multi-District Litigations: Problems And A Proposal, Charles Silver, Geoffrey P. Miller

Vanderbilt Law Review

This Article uses three recent multi-district litigations ("MDLs") that produced massive settlements-Guidant ($240 million), Vioxx ($4.85 billion), and Zyprexa ($700 million)-to study the emerging quasi-class action approach to MDL management. This approach has four components: (1) judicial selection of lead attorneys, (2) judicial control of lead attorneys' compensation, (3) forced fee transfers from non-lead lawyers to cover lead attorneys' fees, and (4) judicial reduction of non-lead lawyers' fees to save claimants money. These procedures have serious downsides. They make lawyers financially dependent on judges and, therefore, loyal to judges rather than clients. They compromise judges' independence by involving them heavily …

Evaluating Norms: An Empirical Analysis Of The Relationship Between Norm-Content, Operator, And Charitable Behavior, Brian Sheppard, Fiery Cushman

Vanderbilt Law Review

There are several kinds of norms, and this variety can lead to spirited debate about the best norm to employ for the regulation of a particular activity. Should the norm be mandatory or aspirational? A rule or a standard? One important area in which norm-choice has come to the fore is the American Bar Association's oversight of pro bono work. Currently, the organization utilizes an aspirational norm recommending that lawyers perform at least fifty pro bono hours annually, but there is pressure to adopt some sort of mandatory rubric. Inspired by this debate, we have designed and implemented an experiment …

Good Causes And Bad Science, Gregory Mitchell

Vanderbilt Law Review

No abstract provided.

Defending Disclosure In Software Licensing, Maureen A. O'Rourke

Faculty Scholarship

For lack of our imagination, this article does not have the most scintillating title. However, the subject matter is critically important. We survey prominent kinds of disclosures in law and show why the disclosure tool, though subject to substantial criticism, is central to the legitimacy of any legal regime. Our working example is the American Law Institute’s “Principles of the Law of Software Contracts” (hereinafter “ALI Principles”).

The ALI Principles include three kinds of disclosure: disclosure of facts (concerning the quality of software),disclosure of terms (of standard forms), and disclosure of post-contract intentions (to pursue remote disablement of software). We …

The Age Of Innocence: A Cautious Defence Of Raising The Age Of Consent In Canadian Sexual Assault Law, Janine Benedet

All Faculty Publications

In 2008, Canada raised the age of consent to sexual activity with an adult from 14 years of age to 16. This change was motivated, in part, by several high profile cases of internet “luring” of younger teenagers. This article considers whether raising the age of consent has had any benefits. It begins by discussing the history and development of age of consent laws in Canada. The justification for a statutory age of consent has shifted from one based on the age at which a girl is deemed to be sexually available to one based on her capacity to give …

The Psychology Of Good Character, Alice Woolley, Jocelyn Stacey

All Faculty Publications

This paper explores the significance of the changing nature of the good character requirement for law society admission in Canada. It posits that good character has shifted from a philosophical concept into a psychological concept, with evidence of past bad acts claimed to be relevant for whether an applicant represents a future risk to the public. This shifting conception of character has, however, been only partial, and the decision-making processes of Canadian law societies have not kept pace with it. Instead, the decision-making process defines character generally and generically, with only occasional emphasis on character as a relevant predictor of …

Relationship Between Multiple Sources Of Perceived Social Support And Psychological And Academic Adjustment In Early Adolescence: Comparisons Across Gender., Sandra Yu Rueger, Christine K. Malecki, Michelle K. Demaray

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

The goal of the current study was to investigate gender differences in the relationship between multiple sources of perceived support (parents, teachers, classmates, close friends, and school) and indices of psychological and academic adjustment. As a preliminary analysis, the study provided further psychometric support for the Child and Adolescent Social Support Scale (CASSS: Malecki, Demaray, & Elliott, 2003). The results of the main analyses supported previous findings related to gender differences in mean levels of perceived support and extended findings demonstrating the importance of support from parents and the general peer group for both boys and girls. Overall, these results …

Monetary Recoveries For State Crime Victims, Jeffrey A. Parness, Laura Lee, Ed Laube

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

Crime victim recoveries are typically available in American states through three separate, but related, avenues: a criminal proceeding (with or without a formal charge); a related civil claim (including a pre-suit settlement); and, a related administrative or special court proceeding. Multiple avenues can be pursued simultaneously. These avenues often, but not always, have constitutional as well as statutory foundations. Unfortunately state crime victims often go without recovery. Barriers to recovery include intrastate and interstate confusion over terms like restitution and victim. More can be done for victims, especially during criminal case sentencing. Unlike federal district courts, state criminal courts typically …

The Impact Of Structural Adjustment Loans On Civil Conflict, Lue Anda Francis

LSU Master's Theses

This paper examines the impact of structural adjustment loans of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank on Civil Conflict. The paper argues that there are three major shortcomings to previous research on this topic. Previous research has focused more on grievances with little focus on the opportunities that may influence rebel behavior. In addition, previous research has placed little focus on the role of state capacity can play in affecting rebel behavior. As such previous research has not fully explained how both opportunities and willingness (Most & Starr 1989) are necessary conditions needed for civil conflict to occur …

A High Fat Diet Attenuates The Fermentation Effects Of Resistant Starches And Fructans, Felicia Robin Goldsmith

LSU Master's Theses

In our previous studies, ingestion of prebiotics in low fat diets resulted in decreased cecal pH from 8 to about 6 and increases in short chain fatty acids indicating robust fermentation. However, in some preliminary studies this effect on fermentation was not seen when rodents were obese and/or fed a high-fat diet. This comprehensive high-fat diet study was conducted to determine which sources and combinations of prebiotics would enhance fermentation despite a high dietary fat content. The effects of prebiotics in a high-fat diet (44% energy) on pH, cecal weights, abdominal fat, and body weight were studied in mature male …

The Impact Of Hurricanes Katrina And Rita On The Louisiana Judicial System, Charles Simon Mccowan, Iii

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis is a case study of the impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the Louisiana court system and the response of the court system to the aftermath of these two hurricanes. Although this thesis focuses on one state’s court system’s response to two natural disasters, the research, conclusions and recommendations are transferable to other states. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita struck the Gulf Coast in 2005 devastating large areas in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama. Millions of people, including judges and attorneys, were forced to evacuate their homes, courts and law offices. The Hurricanes caused interruptions to both federal …

In Sickness And In Health: Experiencing Medical Spaces In Mbarara (Uganda), Kara E. Miller

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis is a contribution to cross-cultural studies on health and medicine explored through the material and symbolic facets of health care in a region of Southwest Uganda. Research conducted in the healing spaces of Mbarara reflects traditions in the anthropology of the body and brings a lived perspective to conditions of sickness and wellness. By tracing the biographies of treatment spaces, the medical landscape is evaluated in terms of participants’ perceptions, convictions, and knowledge sets. Phenomenological methodology is employed in this exploration of ill states and curative places, which braids concepts and academic work in the areas of medicine, …

"To Liberate Communication": The Realist And Paul Krassner's 1960s, Terry Joel Wagner

LSU Master's Theses

Paul Krassner began publishing a small-circulation magazine called The Realist in New York City in 1958 because he believed there existed excessive restraints on speech in American culture. The publication began with a combination of earnest critiques and good-humored satires on such topics as organized religion, sexual mores, Cold War paranoia, and civil rights. By the mid-sixties, the magazine was enlarging the space not just for what opinions could be expressed but also for the way those opinions were expressed and, in the process, testing the boundaries of obscenity. As Krassner became a bitter opponent of the Vietnam War and …

Fraction Competency And Algebra Success, Coretta Thomas

LSU Master's Theses

Abstract In this thesis, I investigated the importance of fraction competence to success in algebra. I studied 107 of the students whom I teach. These students were all enrolled in Algebra I. A fraction pretest and an algebra pretest were given at the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year. A comparison was done to study the connection between the fraction pretest score and the semester grade as well as the algebra pretest score and the semester grade. The strongest correlation was between the fraction pretest and the semester grade. This supported the theory that fraction competence is a strong predictor …

Knowledge Gap And Cable Music Television: A Survey Of Mtv, Bet, And H1 Target Audience Members, Katharine Claire Gavin

LSU Master's Theses

American youth and adolescents have the highest rate of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections in the industrialized world. Entertainment media, the preferred genre of today’s adolescents, depicts sex, drugs, and alcohol use at a greater rate than any other genre of programming. What are health communication strategists doing to counter the widespread, inaccurate portrayals often depicted in this type of programming? With previous knowledge gap and health communication research failing to examine youth oriented and racial targeted entertainment programming, this study utilizes a survey to analyze BET, MTV, and VH1 audiences’ health knowledge, recall, and attitude toward PSAs to …

The Interactions Between Sentence Complexity, Working Memory, And Additional Working Memory Load: An On-Line Measure, Christy Seidel

LSU Master's Theses

This experiment takes an on-line look at syntactical complexity, external loads, and working memory, and how the three influence one another. Based on off-line data looking at the interactions between these three factors, we have discovered that syntactic complexity and span have main effects, while the effect of load is most interestingly seen in a three way interaction representing the hardest possible combination of factors. Through this new design, we were able to see whether the off-line results of sentence processing are replicated with an on-line measure. Our new off-line findings replicate past results, which show that working memory impacts …

A Performance Guide To Lori Laitman's Living In The Body, Kathryn Mary Drake

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this document is to provide a complete performer’s guide to American composer Lori Laitman’s Living in the Body, a song cycle consisting of six songs for soprano and saxophone set to the poetry of Joyce Sutphen. Living in the Body is one of very few cycles written for soprano and saxophone, and the combination is both unusual and interesting to investigate. The cycle explores letting go of the past and focusing on what will happen in the second half of life. The text is set expertly for soprano, bringing important words to the listener’s attention while keeping …

Post-Diaster Family Resilience: The Use Of Humor As A Coping Strategy, Bridgette Boe O'Connor

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of humor as a coping strategy among Hurricane Katrina survivors. The data for this study were collected in the first wave of a larger project on families and disasters. Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) by combining Census data with storm damage estimates and purposive sampling, 50 participants affected by Hurricane Katrina from a single suburban community in Southern Louisiana in early spring 2006 were recruited and interviewed. When the interviews were qualitatively analyzed with a focus on humor, it became clear that families used humor even at such a devastating …

Stereotype And Representation Of Near And Middle Eastern Peoples In La Bande Dessinee, Brandon Matthew Thomas

LSU Master's Theses

Representation of social groups in the comics is serious. In 2006, a series of twelve cartoons published in a Danish newspaper sparked a controversy that precipitated the deaths of hundreds of people. The images depicted Mohammed and other images that supposedly mocked Islam. All across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa protesters paraded through the streets, some calling for the death of the cartoonists. Trials in Europe over the publication of these cartoons resulted in several firings. Counter protests have also arisen. These protesters found grievance with the firings, claiming that the freedom of the press was being violated …

Influences On Public Support For Green Infrastructure: An Examination Of Urban Wetland Restoration In Post-Katrina New Orleans, Lynette C. Overholser

LSU Master's Theses

The research examines patterns of likely support for urban wetland restoration in the Greater New Orleans area. Through multi-variate statistical analysis of responses derived from an original survey of homeowners in New Orleans, key factors are identified that explain variation in residents’ willingness to accept such areas and their perceptions of ecological benefits associated with a theoretical wetlands restoration design for the Gentilly area. Further, the analysis determines the extent to which direct experience with Hurricane Katrina may influence public support for this and other green infrastructure projects. The results of the data collected show that many people in New …