Digital Commons Network^™

Prevention Or Self-Fulfilling Prophecy? Predictive Policing’S Erosion Of The Presumption Of Innocence, Kimberly Lindenmuth

Student Works

No abstract provided.

Attacking The Marketplace Of Ideas: The Wisconsin Campus Free Speech Act, Patrick Mcavaddy

Student Works

No abstract provided.

Temporary Protection, Admission And Lawful Permanent Residency: Taking Congress At Its Word, Ameya Pendse

Student Works

No abstract provided.

Investigation Of The Effect Of Vehicle Color On Safety, Deogratias Eustace, Fayez Khalaf Alanazi, Peter W. Hovey

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Engineering Mechanics Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Modeling Of Wrong Way Driving Entries And Developing Innovative Approaches For Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Advanced Wrong Way Driving Countermeasures, Md Imrul Kayes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Wrong-way driving (WWD) is a hazardous behavior on interstates, toll roads, and other high-speed limited access facilities. Since WWD crashes are rare, recent researchers have studied WWD events such as WWD 911 calls and WWD citations to understand the overall nature and trend of WWD. It is very difficult to build credible statistical models based solely on crashes due to the small sample size since these are only 3% of all crashes. Modeling of WWD non-crash events can result in more accurate models. A model was developed for Florida limited access facilities to identify roadway factors and traffic characteristics of …

Development Of Decision Support System For Active Traffic Management Systems Considering Travel Time Reliability, Whoibin Chung

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As traffic problems on roadways have been increasing, active traffic management systems (ATM) using proactive traffic management concept have been deployed on freeways and arterials. The ATM aims to integrate and automate various traffic control strategies such as variable speed limits, queue warning, and ramp metering through a decision support system (DSS). Over the past decade, there have been many efforts to integrate freeways and arterials for the efficient operation of roadway networks. It has been required that these systems should prove their effectiveness in terms of travel time reliability. Therefore, this study aims to develop a new concept of …

A Gun To Whose Head? Federalism, Localism, And The Spending Clause, Daniel S. Cohen

Dickinson Law Review (2017-Present)

President Trump’s executive order rescinding federal funds from “sanctuary jurisdictions” has brought a critical, but overlooked, question of constitutional law to the forefront of the political debate: how does the Spending Clause apply to local governments? The purpose of the Spending Clause is to empower the federal government to bargain with the states to enact policies it cannot enact itself. This power, however, is constrained within the confines of federalism. The Supreme Court has sought to restrict the Spending Clause by crafting the Dole-NFIB framework, a test to determine whether a federal grant has compromised federalism. At its …

Tangled Up In Tax, Daniel J. Hemel

Public Law and Legal Theory Working Papers

No abstract provided.

Probability Of Detection Study For Visual Inspection Of Steel Bridges: Volume 2—Full Project Report, Leslie E. Campbell, Luke R. Snyder, Julie M. Whitehead, Robert J. Connor, Jason B. Lloyd

JTRP Technical Reports

An inspector’s ability to correctly identify surface and internal defects in steel bridge components is critical to protecting public safety. Ensuring that inspectors are properly trained and adequately equipped to detect these defects in locations that are difficult to access and/or in unfavorable environmental conditions must be a high priority. While the Federal Highway Administration and individual state departments of transportation have guidelines for inspector qualifications, trainings, and certifications, there is very little emphasis placed on evaluating or “testing: a given inspector’s capability to characterize defects in the field. As a result, there is also very little, if any, data …

Access To Occupational Therapy Practice: A Review Of Current Licensing Processes In The United States, Melissa Groth, Martha Scoby

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose This study was conducted to gain insight on the 50 United States and Washington D.C. occupational therapy (OT) licensure application process. This study sought to examine the accessibility of the OT licensure websites as well as the compliance each OT state licensure application has with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The researchers predicted that, while the profession of OT seeks inclusion for all individuals, there is discrimination prominent in the OT state licensure process for individuals living with disabilities.

Methodology A two-fold process was used to collect information regarding accessibility and accommodation within licensing processes for OT licensure …

Occupational Therapy Community Reintegration For Inmates With Co-Occurring Disorders, Miranda Hosking, Kara Moore

Occupational Therapy Capstones

A co-occurring disorder (COD) is the coexistence of a substance use disorder and mental health disorder (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2016). The prevalence of inmates with COD in correctional facilities is disproportionately high (Grant, Stinson, & Dawson, 2004). Despite the high incidence, correctional facilities are not equipped to meet the complex needs of individuals with COD, which often leads these individuals to re-offending or re-incarceration (Sacks, Chaple, Sacks, McKendrick, & Cleland, 2012). The role of occupational therapy in this area of practice is not clearly distinguished. However, occupational therapy’s holistic, client-centered, and occupation-based principles position the profession …

If It Looks Like A Duck: Equal Protection, Selective Prosecution, And Geographic Differences In The Federal Prosecution Of Marijuana Crimes Under The Controlled Substances Act, Zachary Nelson

Lewis & Clark Law Review

State legalization of marijuana for medical purposes has skyrocketed since California first authorized medical marijuana in 1996. Today, citizens in 33 states can use marijuana for medical purposes. While each state maintains distinct regulatory systems and eligibility requirements, the core result of these state medical marijuana programs is that citizens in 33 states can lawfully possess and use marijuana. Yet federal law makes any use of marijuana illegal under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Through the Supremacy Clause, this illegality is controlling and preemptive in every state; that is, even if a state makes marijuana legal for certain purposes, an …

The Use Of Personality Testing In Personnel Selection, Riya Kumar

CMC Senior Theses

Research has shown that more than 45% of American companies are opting to integrate personality tests in their recruitment processes. Given this surge in personality testing, this thesis examines whether personality testing is a valid predictor of job-fit and performance in the context of personnel selection. A large proportion of this paper is focused upon the Big-Five factor model, its limitations, and derivative tests of the model. The impact of technology upon personality testing is also discussed as an emerging field. By tracing and examining the history of personality testing to current day, I have found that personality tests are …

Framing Discrepancies: A Comparison Of Sex Offender Notification Meetings Between Minnesota Sex Offender Program And Minnesota Department Of Corrections., Justina Bakker

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this research was to assess if there are similarities and / or in how sex offender notification meetings are conducted by two different agencies who are not legally bound to assist in these meetings, but provide assistance, upon the release of sex offenders from custody. The agencies are the Minnesota Department of Corrections who release sex offender after their completion of custody sentences and the Minnesota Sex Offender Program who release sex offenders upon completion of treatment. Interviews were conducted with professional staff from the both agencies. Analyses of the findings of these interviews, along with an …

Assessing Public Priorities For Police Oversight In King County, Toshiko G. Hasegawa

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Theses

Over the last century, police oversight offices emerged to address police misconduct and promote public confidence, including four oversight offices within King County. Although oversight offices are intended to represent the interests of the public, they rarely or irregularly solicit public opinion. An online survey was developed to answer the general research question, “What are the public’s priorities for police oversight in King County?” and it appears to be the first attitudinal survey of its kind in the United States. A total of 1,700 survey responses were recorded, of which 1,110 were completed with 60% or higher item response by …

A Quantitative Analysis Of Re-Offense Among Delinquent Foster Care Youth In Georgia, Brian Keith Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nationwide more than 2 million youth are placed in custody annually, approximately 80,000 children return home, and more than 70% have a diagnosable mental disorder. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the outcomes of 311 youth released from secure residential facilities in Georgia between January 2012 thru May 2017. In the dataset, 136 youth returned to regular homes, 128 returned to group homes (GC), and 47 returned to traditional foster homes (TFC). The goal of the study was to examine the differences in probation outcomes based on the type of placement. For the purpose of the study, …

Marijuana Legalization And Traffic Fatalities Involving Cannabinoids, Mark Lewn Hake

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Washington State and Colorado were the first states to legalize recreational marijuana. According to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, the number of drivers who tested positive for marijuana in traffic fatalities increased 48% from 2013 to 2014, and marijuana legalization may have influenced this increase. Since marijuana legalization is new to the United States, the effects of this change in policy are untested in the literature. The purpose of this quantitative study using a regression point displacement design was to examine the relationship between traffic fatalities involving cannabinoids in Washington State before and after marijuana legalization. Rational choice theory and …

Logistical Resource Capability During A Mass Casualty Event In Washington State, Todd Devin Brauckmiller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The need for increasing efficiencies for medical resource delivery during a mass casualty incident/event is a paramount logistical planning factor that could mean life or death to the citizens affected by a disaster. As such, Washington State has prioritized emergency management and preparedness. Using the just-in-time system by way of Baghbanian' s complex adaptive decision-making theory as the foundation, gave purpose to this qualitative study. This was accomplished by analysis of emergency management professional responses, and to what degree, improvements can be made to the medical resource delivery system during a mass casualty incident/event. Data were collected through semi structured …

The Impact Of Exercise During Radiation Therapy For Breast Cancer Patients, Diane Yu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death among women. In 2017, breast, lung and bronchus, prostate, and colorectal cancers accounted for almost 50% of all new cancer cases in the United States. Breast conservation therapy with lumpectomy (i.e., surgery) and adjuvant radiation therapy is commonly used as treatment for early stage breast cancer. However, side effects such as pain and poor sleep quality can affect quality of life for breast cancer patients undergoing radiation treatment. The main purpose of this quantitative study, using the health belief model (HBM) theoretical framework, was to investigate the correlations between the …

Recidivism And Prison Overcrowding Due To Denial Of Legal Representation In Botswana, Sidney Pilane

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Botswana has been experiencing high rates of recidivism and prison overcrowding, but the causes of these problems have not been explored. Thus, this qualitative study was conducted to investigate whether the denial of legal representation to criminal defendants tried in the customary courts is one of the causes of high rates of recidivism, prison overcrowding, or both. The main research question addressed a possible relationship between these factors and the denial of legal representation, and the study was guided by the punctuated equilibrium theory and the policy feedback theory. Data were collected through semi structured interviews with 10 released first …

Survey Of U.S. Undergraduate Self-Reported Opioid Diversion And Heroin Use, Motives, Sources, And Collective Efficacy As Mediating Factors, Mark Francis Plaushin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Epic morbidity and mortality, and intractability make prescription opioid diversion a wicked problem. Meanwhile, college undergraduates are vulnerable to opioid misuse and its consequences. The purpose of this quantitative study was to assess U.S. undergraduate students' opioid misuse and the relationship between mediating factors. The study's theoretical framework rested on Wakeland's et al. opioid system model and Shaw and McKay's social disorganization theory. This study bridged the gap, measuring collective efficacy and testing its relationship to undergraduate decisions to regulate misuse. Thus, research questions focused on gauging the problem's scope and assessing relationships between factors that drive or potentially regulate …

The Relationship Between Recidivism And Inpatient Treatment For Co-Occurring Disorders Among African American Male Ex-Offenders, Henshaw D. Mbosowo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Recidivism continues to be a major problem in the United States criminal justice system and yet, there is minimal research that addresses recidivism among African American male ex-offenders with co-occurring disorders who are on probation and or parole under community supervision and trying to gain access or reentry into the community. This quantitative study was to examine the relationship between co-occurring disorders and incidence of recidivism among African American male ex-offenders who have been hospitalized and treated for mental illness at some point in their lives. Also, considering that the inpatient treatment or hospitalization of offenders and ex-offenders with serious …

Citizens' Perceptions Of Body-Worn Camera Usage By Law Enforcement, Rosalind Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A need for more transparency and accountability of police misconduct was obvious from citizen' complaints and media coverage of inhumane actions of law enforcement offers unequipped with body-worn cameras (BWCs). With the fatalities of citizens by law enforcement on the rise, it was incumbent upon the officials in two communities to deliver measures to improve citizens' perceptions of police officers' use of BWCs and how much trust the citizens have in the use of these instruments, as a whole. The purpose of this study was to explore citizens' confidence levels, sense of safety, and perception of civility when police officers …

Maryland Sex Offender Registry And Sex Offender Recidivism: Time Series Correlational Study., Ashley L. Fundack

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Federal and State law in a northeastern US state requires all adjudicated sex offenders to register on the state's sex offender registry (SOR) for the purpose of protecting the citizens of the state from predatory sex offenders and reducing sexual recidivism. This study tests the assumption, based on deterrence theory, that registration on the SOR is necessary as a deterrent to future sexual offending by sex offenders. Data from the Maryland Sex Offender Registry in two counties in a northeastern US state pertaining to a total of 1,985 registered sex offenders were analyzed to see geographic differences of offender, and …

Impact Of Mandatory Sentencing Policies On Alabama's Prison Populations, Stephanie Elaine Stewart

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

State prison systems, particularly in the Southern US, have been overpopulated for decades with unlikely support for building new prisons which has led to overcrowding. Policy makers, however, have adopted mandatory minimum policies that include harsher sanctions for habitual offenders which exacerbated the problem of overcrowding, yet little is understood about how sentencing reform is associated with overpopulation. Using Clear and Schrantz conceptualization of prison population change, the purpose of this quantitative descriptive study was to understand how one prison system in a southern state was impacted over a 10-year period by the implementation of mandatory minimum sentencing requirements. Data …

Accomplished Education Leaders' Perspectives On Competition, Capacity, Trust, And Quality, Robert Lee Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

From 2017 to 2019, the primary strategy to improve public schools in the U.S. was increasing competition through the expansion of charter schools and the promotion of vouchers to send public school students to private schools. The problem this presented was that key education leaders had not provided adequate input and feedback into this strategy. The purpose of this qualitative study was to gather the perspectives of accomplished education leaders on how Tiebout's theory of competition and the concept of the Ontario K-12 School Effectiveness Framework impacted quality, trust, and capacity. Data were collected using semistructured interviews with a purposeful …

Managing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder In Emergency Personnel: A Qualitative Case Study, Jason Lee Brooks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The material in current emergency medical services (EMS) curricula is insufficient to prepare prehospital emergency medical care personnel recognize the signs and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) within their workforce. Prehospital emergency textbooks focus on treating patients affected with PTSD, but there is very little included about how EMS professionals may also be affected. Moreover, supervisors and managers of EMS agencies receive very little education on workforce PTSD in their personnel. The purpose of this study was to understand the educational preparation of EMS supervisors in order to develop a PTSD-awareness course. The research question investigated the educational preparation …

Service Delivery Agents' Perceptions Of The Impact Of Panhandling Policy In Virginia, Nancy Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Panhandling (also called begging and mendicancy) has been a problem for lawmakers. Although current crime control measures (based on the broken windows theory) have identified a perceived link between disorders (i.e., panhandling) and crime, previous attempts to ban panhandling were deemed unconstitutional. The purpose of this work was to investigate the impact of the latest attempt to curb panhandling in Hampton Roads, Virginia, known as the Public Education Campaign. This phenomenological inquiry examined the perceptions and work-related experiences of service delivery agents to explore the impact of the panhandling policy on panhandling and policy enforcement. Purposive sampling was used to …

Policy Diffusion Assistance In The Amelioration Of Homelessness On The Island Of O`Ahu, Hawai`I, Anita Tanner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The issue of homelessness is one that many cities and states in the United States have to contend with; however, the issue of homelessness on an island can be even more difficult to find viable solutions. The homeless problem on the island of O`ahu is one that affects not only residents but also tourists. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to reveal the perceptions of policy makers on the island of O`ahu, Hawai`i if diffusing public policy from Salt Lake City, Utah, would help ameliorate homelessness on the island. The theoretical framework was the diffusion theory and diffusions …

Save Your Breath: A Constitutional Analysis Of The Criminal Penalties For Refusing Breathalyzer Tests In The Wake Of Birchfield V. North Dakota, Kylie Fisher

Washington Law Review Online

Statutes that criminally penalize suspected drunk drivers who refuse to submit to testing of their blood alcohol concentration emerged in a number of states as a way to better enforce implied consent statutes that require drivers submit to such testing. In Birchfield v. North Dakota, the Supreme Court held that statutes that criminally punish individuals for refusing a blood test were unconstitutional but upheld criminal refusal statutes regarding breath tests. Much of the reasoning in the majority’s opinion stemmed from a shallow perception of the invasion that breath tests pose to individual privacy interests. Justice Sotomayor’s dissenting opinion noted …