Digital Commons Network^™

Merryman Redux: A Response To Professor John Yoo, Seth Barrett Tillman

Chapman Law Review

No abstract provided.

Algorithmic Surveillance: A Hidden Danger In Recognizing Faces, Lydia F. Venditti, Jim Fleming, Kara Kugelmeyer

Honors Theses

The goal of this thesis is to present the current status and awareness of facial recognition technology and their use as part of video surveillance systems. Specifically, I intend to help readers develop a greater understanding of how facial recognition systems contain algorithms that perpetuate bias in their matching and recognition of faces. Current research demonstrates that algorithms differentially recognize faces from different races and genders. As a technology with substantive impacts for use and abuse, more scrutiny of facial recognition technology is necessary. This paper will also help readers understand the dangers of facial recognition as a biometric technology …

I Was So Much Older Then/I'M Younger Than That Now: Valedictory Notes And Collage, Frank Pommersheim

South Dakota Law Review

No abstract provided.

Developing A Predictive And Dynamic Moose-Vehicle Collisions Model In Maine, Yue Yu

Honors Theses

Wildlife-vehicle collisions are a major form of human-wildlife conflict. Predictive animal-vehicle collision models have been developed to identify collision hotspots in Maine and guide mitigation strategies. However, most current models are static and unable to produce dynamic forecasts that incorporate changing climate and weather. The goal of my study was to develop a predictive and dynamic model of animal-vehicle collisions in Maine, USA. More than 6,700 moose-vehicle collisions (MVC) occurred from 2003 to 2017 in Maine, raising road safety, socio-economic, and wildlife conservation concerns. I sought to identify factors that contribute to a higher probability of MVCs by comparing two …

A Higher Authority: Canada’S Cannabis Legalization In The Context Of International Law, Antonia Eliason, Robert Howse

Michigan Journal of International Law

Part I of this Article provides an overview of some of the key terms and provisions of Canada’s Cannabis Act. Part II looks at the Cannabis Act in the context of the International Drug Conventions, examining how the various convention provisions might apply, looking first at the Single Convention and then at the 1988 Convention and how that convention fits with Canadian constitutional provisions. Part III focuses on the international human rights framework and how the Cannabis Act might be viewed as compatible with international human rights law even where incompatible with the International Drug Conventions. This Part also offers …

2017-2018 Annual Report, Tennessee Public Utility Commission

Annual Reports

No abstract provided.

The Administrative State: Congress's Role In Perpetuating It, Lindsey Martin

Campbell Law Review

For many Americans, the rise of the administrative state signaled the deterioration of the framers' vision for American government. Gone are the days where the Legislative Branch primarily enacted laws, the Executive Branch enforced laws, and the Judicial Branch interpreted laws and adjudicated disputes. Today, the American form of government is an administrative state. Agencies possess legislative, executive, and judicial powers and wield those powers to administer critical government programs-often at the directive of the Executive Branch.

Scholars have repeatedly criticized the evolution of the administrative state as unlawful, unconstitutional, and have even gone so far as to call it …

Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, For The Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2019, Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System

Annual Financial Reports

This document is the annual comprehensive financial report for the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System during the fiscal year.

2019-2020 Risd Course Announcement, Risd Registrar's Office, Risd Archives

RISD Course Catalogs / Announcements

No abstract provided.

State Of Utah, Plaintiff/Appellee, Vs. Julius Ochieng Olola, Defendant/Appellant, Utah Court Of Appeals

Utah Court of Appeals Briefs (2007– 2019)

APPEAL FROM A JUDGMENT SENTENCE AND CONVICTION OF DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL, A THIRD DEGREE FELONY, AND RELATED OFFENSES IN THE THIRD JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT

Utah Attorney General, Counsel for Appellee

HERSCHEL BULLEN (0482), Attorney at Law, Counsel for Appellant

Products Liability In The Digital Age: Liability Of Commercial Sellers Of Cad Files For Injuries Committed With A 3d-Printed Gun, Mika Sharpe

American University Law Review

No abstract provided.

Symptoms Of Depression And Stressors In Law Enforcement, Parisa Tiana Mash

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Policing has long been recognized by experts in the field as a stressful, unpredictable, emotionally exhausting, and dangerous occupation. Stress and contributing risk factors have lasting and sometimes fatal results among police officers. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there is a relationship between symptoms of depression and 3 constructs of the Personal Observation Wellness and Evaluation Report--Power Portfolio (PP) survey, specifically administrative and organizational pressures, emotional, physical, psychological threats, and lack of administrative support. Archival data from the National Police Suicide Foundation were used. The independent variable was symptoms of depression as measured by the …

The Phenomenon Of Living Close To Nuclear Power Plants, Jacquelynn Isabel Miles

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Communities near nuclear power plants are at potential risk from natural and man-made failures at the nuclear power plants located within those communities. This study explored the concerns and rationalizations of residents of a community who live within a 10-mile evacuation zone of the nuclear power plant located there. Using the general theory of deliberative democracy, the purpose of this qualitative study was to understand and explore why individuals continue to live close to nuclear power plants. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 15 individuals who live within a 10- mile radius of a nuclear power plant in the …

Best Teaching Practices For Engaging Adult Students' Foreign Language Learning, Aksana P. Mather

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Government initiatives for strengthening the safety of the United States led to increased requirements for military linguists' knowledge of foreign languages. This study explored the development of professional training for instructors at a military language school to address the gap in teaching services. The purpose of this single case study was to explore best teaching practices for engaging adult students' foreign language learning following andragogical principles. Knowles's theory of andragogy provided the conceptual framework. Data were collected using anonymous responses to an online survey from 26 instructors who answered 3 open-ended questions. Data were analyzed by coding answers to the …

Strategies To Reduce The Fiscal Impact Of Cyberattacks, Shirley Denise Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A single cyberattack event involving 1 major corporation can cause severe business and social devastation. In this single case study, a major U.S. airline company was selected for exploration of the strategies information technology administrators and airline managers implemented to reduce the financial devastation that may be caused by a cyberattack. Seven participants, of whom 4 were airline managers and 3 were IT administrators, whose primary responsibility included implementation of strategies to plan for and respond to cyberattacks participated in the data collection process. This study was grounded on the general systems theory. Data collection entailed semistructured face-to-face and telephone …

Perceptions Of Residents In Rural Areas Toward Law Enforcement, Joseph James Wagner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Negative public perceptions toward law enforcement officers (LEOs) have increased in recent years as the result of police shootings of unarmed men. Researchers have focused on urban residents' perceptions toward LEOs, but have not examined the perceptions of rural residents. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between the dependent variable (DV) of rural citizens' perceptions toward LEOs and the independent variables (IVs) of age, gender, ethnicity, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, income, employment status, educational attainment, and immigration status. The social judgment theory and the primary socialization theory were used as the theoretical foundations to …

Gis Suitability Analysis To Situate Recreational/Retail Marijuana Stores In Denver, Colorado, Aniekan Okon Akpanekong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

On October 1, 2013, the city of Denver adopted bill CB 570 allowing state-licensed retail marijuana businesses. Section 6-211(b) of the Denver Code of Ordinance codified distance separations between licensed retail marijuana sites and prohibited locations. Using distance decay theory coupled with Geographic Information systems (GIS)-based multicriteria analyses, Denver's licensed retail marijuana stores were evaluated in relation to their proximity compliance with �6-211(b). Using GIS topology testing from 1000 feet to 650 feet, current retail marijuana stores had a compliance percent ranging between 29% to 56% from each other, 2% to 7% from licensed medical marijuana stores, 39% to 68% …

Effects Of Herzberg's Hygiene Factors On Fire Department Paramedics, Christine Elizabeth Peterson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The decline in the number of lead paramedics at an Indiana fire department has stressed the local emergency medical system (EMS), jeopardized public safety, accelerated personnel burnout, and increased overtime expense. Using Herzberg’s motivation hygiene theory as a guiding lens, this phenomenological study explored the effects of the Indiana fire department’s policies related to lead paramedic job satisfaction. The purpose of this study was to investigate possible hygiene factors, relabeled as workplace satisfaction factors, which led to a decrease in the number of lead paramedics within EMS from 2007–2017. The reduction in lead paramedic numbers led to unanticipated and unbudgeted …

Perceptions Of Homeland Security Policing In An Urban Midwestern Community, Sukeena Stephens

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since the terrorist attacks on the United States of America on September 11, 2001, approach to policing has observably been shifted across the country. Utilizing a qualitative methodology, this study explored the perceptions of community members from a Chicago, Illinois community regarding the shift in policing style post 9/11. Cooley's theory of the looking glass self, coupled with a phenomenological approach to understand the deeper meaning associated with the perceptions of the residents and the shift in policing styles in Chicago communities. The data were obtained from participants who were at least 40 years old and held a residence for …

Emergency Preparedness And Community Policing Within Campus Law Enforcement Agencies, Sherah L. Basham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Campus law enforcement agencies are an essential component of the campus community, and the greater criminal justice system. While policing research has focused on the activities and organizational structure of municipal police, much less attention has been given to campus agencies. This study builds on existing research by examining the activities and organizational structures of campus law enforcement agencies. The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental study was to analyze the variation in emergency preparedness across campus law enforcement agencies using Meyer and Rowan's institutional theory. The research questions addressed the extent to which emergency preparedness was influenced by organizational structural, …

Attitudes Of Black Americans, Towards Police Misconduct In An Urban Area, Demetric Rayshawn Armstead

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Little is known about Black Americans' experience with and attitudes toward the police. For Black Americans and the police to improve their relationship, police need to understand the factors that influence Black Americans' perceptions. Asante's concept of Afrocentric theory assisted with exploring the attitudes of Black Americans about police misconduct in a Southeastern United States urban area. The purpose of the qualitative ethnographic study was to understand the attitudes of Black Americans towards the police and the factors that influence those perceptions. This study precisely addresses three main questions: (1) how has media coverage impacted Black Americans' perceptions of officer …

National Strategy Against Narcotics, Drug Control Policy, And Law Enforcement Experiences In Kosovo, Ferid Azemi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This research is focused on evaluation of National Strategy Against Narcotics (NSAN) enacted in 2012 in Kosovo. The purpose of this study was to understand the impact of NSAN through visualizing data and gaining deeper insight from experiences of antidrug experts. Convergent parallel mixed methods were used to answer the main research questions. The central research questions examined the impact of strategy implementation in juvenile drug arrest reduction, and its effectiveness on Kosovo criminal justice system. Markwood's comprehensive theory of substance abuse prevention (CTSAP) was used to assess and explore the NSAN. Deidentified juvenile arrest rates taken from Kosovo official …

Stress Preparedness For Law Enforcement Officers Via Academic Training, Matthew Ridgeway Burke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Most law enforcement officers experience a traumatic event within the first 3 years of duty but may not receive proper mental health training in the police academy to prepare them for a career in law enforcement, and little is understood about police academy training regarding mental health. Using secondary traumatic stress (STS) as a conceptual framework, the purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the perspective of law officers on the usefulness of academy training to prevent or manage mental health issues that may arise from law enforcement duty. Data were collected from 35 law enforcement officers in a …

Positive Experiences Among Dui Offenders In Court-Mandated Substance Abuse Treatment, Katarzyna Blanka Pilewicz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol and other drugs puts communities' and individuals' safety at tremendous risk. The excessive use of alcohol, illicit drugs, and/or some prescribed medications causes cognitive impairment and the physical incapability of operating a vehicle. The court system penalizes drunken driving behaviors by placing DUI offenders in a variety of mandated interventions to minimize the risk of reoffense. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore DUI offenders' positive experiences and perceptions derived from DUI programs and how they impacted well-being and commitment to positive change using Seligman's well-being theory as a conceptual framework. …

Police Chiefs' Perceptions Of Supervisors' Membership In Subordinate Officers' Unions, Mark P. Derosia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Police supervisors who enjoy membership in their subordinates' police union may contribute to organizational discord by failing to enforce organizational policy among their subordinates. The purpose of this multiple case study was to examine the perceptions of 9 municipal chiefs from a west coast state in the United States regarding how supervisors' membership in their subordinates' police union affects policy enforcement and how supervisor enforcement of policy may impact police officer discipline. The conceptual framework was based on dual-commitment conflict theory. Data were collected using semi structured interviews and e-mail questionnaires. Data were member checked and cross-interpreted through coded analysis. …

The Impact Of Critical Incident Team Training On Arrest And Diversion Rates, Richard Wayne Foss

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Critical Incident Team (CIT) training program equips police officers with knowledge regarding mental illness and practical skills for effectively interacting with a mentally ill suspect. In addition to improving officer and suspect safety by decreasing the number of violent encounters between police and the mentally ill, CIT goals include reducing the number of mentally ill individuals who are arrested and providing them with assistance through community resources. However, there is a lack of empirical research on whether CIT training decreases arrest rates and increases diversion rates for mentally ill subjects. The purpose of this quantitative study was to measure …

Public Health Implications Of Retailer Resale Of Returned Textile Clothing Merchandise, Antonette M. A. Francis-Shearer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Historically, 18th century anecdotal accounts of the decimation of several tribes of U.S. of the Native American population by trading of infected textile blankets alludes to the role of retail in the transmission of infectious disease. This study explores implications of the modern day retail organization practice of reselling returned clothing textiles from a public health infectious disease perspective. A qualitative multi-case study, utilized responses from 20 open-ended, unstructured interviews of retail employees assigned to the returns process. Additionally, several informal observations of select U.S.based, top-ranked clothing retail organizations, identified by the National Retail Federation were completed. Select federal, state, …

A Multidimensional Approach To Interorganizational Communication Via Emergency Management Organizations And Their Twitter Accounts, Lauren Johnson

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

Using an adaptation of O’Connor and Shumate’s (2018) theoretical propositions, this research examines interorganizational communication through the lens of multidimensional networks. Twitter data was crawled from a selection of emergency management organization accounts to measure affinity, representational, flow, and semantic networks. These data included the organizations’ followed accounts, retweets, replies, and mentions. A thematic analysis of the organizations’ mission statements was also conducted in order to inform the examination of the semantic networks. The results show a significant relationship between the number of accounts an organization follows and the likelihood of having its message shared. This research provides a further …

“It’S Hard To Get Your Head Around Something Like This”: Figurative And Intense Language For Sensegiving During Severe Weather Coverage, Robert W. Prestley

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

During high-impact weather events like Hurricane Harvey, broadcast meteorologists take on the role of sensegiver, as they develop frameworks to help their viewers make sense of the storm. These frameworks are communicated through rhetorical choices evident in the language the meteorologists use to describe the storm’s threat and impact. This study investigates the rhetorical choices of KHOU broadcast meteorologists during Hurricane Harvey in order to make sense of the disaster, using an inductive thematic analysis. The results indicate that the KHOU broadcasters framed Harvey figuratively as an all-encompassing monster and a heat-seeking machine. The meteorologists used emotionally intense language to …

Reimagining Prosecution: In Search Of The True Progressive, Angela J. Davis

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

Prosecutors are the most powerful officials in the criminal justice system. At least ninety percent of all criminal cases are prosecuted on the state level, and in all but five jurisdictions, the chief prosecutor (also known as the district attorney) is an elected official. Most district attorneys run unopposed and serve for decades. However, in recent years, a number of incumbent district attorneys have been challenged and defeated by individuals who pledged to use their power and discretion to reduce the incarceration rate and eliminate unwarranted racial disparities in the criminal justice system. These so-called “progressive prosecutors” have enjoyed some …