Digital Commons Network^™

Improving The Pipeline For Tennessee's Workforce, Academic Supply For Occupational Demand Report 2024, Tennessee. Higher Education Commission.

Academic Programs and Workforce Reports

No abstract provided.

Strafford County 2023 Annual Report Of The Commissioners, Treasurer, Other County Officers, And The Strafford County Delegation For The Year Ending December 31, 2023, Strafford County Representatives

Strafford County, NH Annual Reports

This is an annual report containing vital statistics for a county in the state of New Hampshire.

Brightpoint Community College: Effective Enrollment Anti-Melt Strategies, Michael J. Forder, Ismael J. Betancourt Velez, Adrian Petway, Juan Espinoza

Doctor of Education Capstones

Community colleges strive to provide affordable and accessible educational opportunities to all. Tuition revenue plays a significant role in college operating budgets and is critical for supporting academic functions. Student dropout threatens the fiscal security of community colleges while running counter to the mission of educating communities. This exploratory case study set out to understand the student melt issue due to non-payment at Brightpoint Community College taking place between enrollment and the start of classes. The research team aimed to understand how students engage with the current payment process, what are the underlying factors leading to missed payments, and what …

Health-Based Urban Design And Planning Interventions; Maximizing Harmony, Vitality, And Wellness In Hopewell, Virginia, Suzanne K. Yeats

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Urban planners as practitioners work to create a more progressive future while simultaneously redressing the past. This tension is found in many cities, including the City of Hopewell, Virginia where city planners, managers, economic developers work passionately for positive change. In Hopewell, there has been almost no population growth since 1970 and existing health outcomes are alarming. In every determinant of health category (medical, psychological, or social), this city falls below the state and national average. This health-based urban design and planning intervention capstone challenges the status quo by flipping the paradigm and placing the health of all residents first …

Virtual Justice?: An Analysis Of Access To Court For People Experiencing Homelessness, Kaitlin Humer

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Homelessness in Canada remains a wicked social problem that often intersects with compounding forms of marginalization. The criminalization of homelessness and living life in the public sphere explain, in part, why this population is likely to interact with the criminal justice system. Following the onset of the pandemic, the courts were forced to modernize and embrace digital technologies to maintain operations. Now four years since these changes, there are no signs of turning back and the court system is continuing forward with a hybrid model. Despite this, there is minimal research on the impact of virtual court proceedings on people …

Suburban Bay Area City Approaches To Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion (Dei), Arianna Bush

Master's Projects

The ultimate goal of government is to serve the community for the greater good. Creating an inclusive and representative environment for those working in government and for the population they serve will improve many aspects of public service. In recent decades, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) have been increasingly prioritized as America has become increasingly diverse. However, this effort intensified in 2020 after the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests. “Three years after Floyd's death and the movement hit the streets, 74% of Black executives said they saw positive change in hiring, retention, and …

The Effect Of An Intervention To Improve Screening For Opioid Use In Patients With Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Tammy Swartz

DNP Projects

Background: Rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were reported to be higher during COVID-19 than during any other epidemic in history. Patients diagnosed with PTSD are at an increased risk of experiencing opioid use disorder (OUD). Early detection, prevention, and treatment are essential to prevent OUD.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to determine if education aimed at increasing nurses’ knowledge increased patient screenings for OUD.

Methodology: A baseline chart audit was performed to determine the number of patients seen in the emergency department with PTSD who also were evaluated for OUD. Two hundred and forty emergency department registered …

Remote Repossession, Rebecca Crootof

Law Faculty Publications

Ford’s February 2023 patent application raises a new possibility: that after a default, an internet-connected vehicle might autonomously drive itself off of the owner’s premises—to a public space, to the repossession agency, or even to a junkyard. But while this “remote repossession” would minimize the risks of harm that attend in-person repossessions, it creates at least three new risks. First, a danger of bodily injury and property damage to the owner. Second, an increased likelihood of physical harm to a third-party with no obviously responsible entity. And third, most invisibly but also perhaps most importantly: further erosion of consumers’ current …

Information Provided By State Human Trafficking Websites: A Content Analysis, Brooklyn Dilley

Honors Program Theses

Human trafficking evolved from the legal and regulated slavery of the past and has likely been in existence throughout human history. Slavery was abolished in the United States in 1865, and slavery and servitude were prohibited globally through the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 (United Nations General Assembly, 1948). Nevertheless, modern-day slavery has still thrived in the form of human trafficking. There have been many global and national efforts to combat human trafficking, including the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons and the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (OMCTP). The Trafficking Victims Protection …

How To Connect The Unconnected: Broadband Policy In Colorado, Nicole Genevieve Ela

Colorado Technology Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Depression In African American Males And The Mental Health Stigma, Deanna Carrington

Dissertations and Theses

Depression is a common mental health disorder in the United States. In particular, African Americans have a greater risk of depression because they are predisposed to depressive symptoms as opposed to their White counterparts (Miller and Taylor, 2011). Moreover, African Americans are 20% more likely to experience psychological distress that leads to depression compared to other racial groups. While African American cultural norms focus on resilience and independence, discussion around mental health is discouraged, which leads to underreporting and delayed treatment. For males in the African American community, they can be hesitant to seek help, let alone discuss their experiences …

Policing With A Double-Edged Sword: The Associations Between Neighborhood Deprivation, Coping & Substance Use Among Black & Latiné Families, Neil M. Allicock

Dissertations and Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated systemic racial inequities among Black and Latiné communities, increasing daily stressors such as exposure to violence, racial discrimination, and negative perceptions of the police. Social constraints from quarantining and social distancing have weakened community relationships that previously provided relief from these stressors. Persistent poverty and racial discrimination further strain community ties and challenge the well-being of marginalized communities. Negative experiences with the police are unique stressors for Black and Latiné youth, potentially increasing their risk for substance use. The erosion of community ties may heighten psychological stress and lead to less adaptive coping methods, such …

Reclaiming Democracy: Examining Disenfranchisement Laws And Policy Recommendations To Restore Voting Rights For Formerly Incarcerated People, Maeve Conte

CMC Senior Theses

This paper examines the disenfranchisement of formerly incarcerated people and the steps by which they can participate in civic society again. It delves into the history of these laws, both in the United States and abroad, and the philosophies behind disenfranchisement. It then uses Florida’s Amendment 4 as a case study in current debates surrounding voting rights. After a literature review on voting, it assesses the voting population inside prisons in states that allow it and includes policy recommendations for these states. This thesis also applies interventions from the literature review to reduce the cost for formerly incarcerated people. Ultimately, …

Assessing The Condition Of Pavements (Road Surfaces) Using Computer Vision & Machine Learning, Syed Ibrahim Hassam

Doctoral

Regular inspections of pavements are conducted by civil infrastructure departments to evaluate the surface condition. Pavement surfaces are subject to deterioration caused by several factors such as traffic, weather, and sunlight. This deterioration becomes evident through various distresses, including potholes, rutting, cracking, bleeding, patching, and ravelling, which gradually affects the surface layer over time. It is essential to assess the condition of pavements as it not only ensures their usability but also maximises public safety. Effective pavement maintenance requires substantial resources and capital investment to carry out the most suitable maintenance treatments at the optimal time. Furthermore, the outcomes of …

Asylum, Title 42, & Female Foreign Nationals, Cecilia I. Morin

Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics & Public Policy

No abstract provided.

Information Access For Infrastructurally-Challenged Environments And Beyond Through Mutually Aware Spectrum Sharing Technologies, Karyn Doke

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

The Radio Frequency (RF) spectrum is scarce and to make it available for new mobile wireless services, regulators are forced to re-allocate spectrum from existing services or develop mechanisms to share spectrum with new entries. Television White Space (TVWS) and Citizen Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) are two examples of recently commercialized spectrum sharing technologies. TVWS enables sharing among fixed wireless broadband technologies (secondary users) and terrestrial TV broadcast services (primary users). CBRS enables spectrum sharing among 5G/LTE (secondary users) and naval radar (primary users). With both technologies, a central database determines when it is safe for secondary users to operate …

Advancements In Forensic Analysis: Development Of Mass Spectrometric And Chemometric Approaches For The Identification Of Synthetic New Psychoactive Substances And Plant Materials, Mónica Ventura

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

While forensic science is a well-established discipline, a number of federal agencies have highlighted challenges that continue to plague the field and the extent to which these challenges remain unaddressed. Examples are the illegal trade of wildlife timber and the drug epidemic. Characterization of these materials requires nuanced method development for compound determination, matrix material-specific protocols, and heavy use of expensive consumables. The application of a technique such as direct analysis in real time – high-resolution mass spectrometry (DART-HRMS) provides the opportunity to circumvent many of the challenges presented by conventional methods. In general, little to no sample preparation is …

The Subfederal In Immigration Polarization, Huyen Pham, Pham Hoang Van

Minnesota Journal of Law & Inequality

No abstract provided.

Power Of One: The Journey Of An Asian Undocumented Student, F. Michelle Bringas

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

While little research has been conducted on Asian undocumented students in higher education, it was the powerful story of an Asian undocumented high school student, Tereza Lee, that inspired Senator Richard Durbin to co-author immigration legislation known as the 2001 DREAM Act. Tereza’s story represents an important counter-story to what many perceive as the dominant narrative and a widely-held misconception that issues of undocumented immigrants and undocumented students only affect Latinos. The purpose of this study is to include Tereza’s narrative as a solution to the problem of its exclusion in higher education. Asian critical race theory centers the voices …

Access, Security, And Trust: Balancing Agencies' Need-To-Access Encrypted Data With Digital Security And Public Trust In Australian Government's Policy Approaches To Law Enforcement And National Security, Stephen Anthony Haydon

Theses

In the 21st Century, governments around the world are confronted by the challenges of policing against serious crime, terrorism, and other malicious-actor threats in an increasingly complex and convoluted digital landscape. Accelerating social changes and advances in secure and anonymising technologies (including end-to-end encryption) are providing regular frustrations to law enforcement and intelligence organisations. These agencies must detect, deter, and disrupt the threats to lives, public safety, and national security posed by malicious foreign and domestic actors who are utilising such technologies to communicate securely and ‘go dark’ online. Accessing encrypted data to identify and investigate these threats frequently requires …

Religious Exemptions To Vaccinations: The First Amendment Vs. Rfra, Sneh Amin

Student Works

No abstract provided.

Growing Need For A Standardized Response To Radiopharmaceutical Extravasations, Michael Richard Drelich

All ETDs from UAB

Extravasations are medical occurrences where an injected or infused pharmaceutical is unintentionally deposited into the soft tissue near the injection site, rather than into the bloodstream. With radiopharmaceuticals, extravasations can result in potentially large radiation doses to skin and tissue. The current rate of extravasations in clinical settings is estimated to be between 3-23%. In the interest of patient safety, a clearer understanding of the dosimetry and differences in extravasation scenarios to simplify dose estimation is needed. Similarly, the NRC is considering modifying regulations to include extravasations as reportable medical events rather than to continue considering them as patient interventions. …

I Hope The Final Judgment’S Fair: Alternative Jurisprudences, Legal Decision-Making, And Justice, Michael L. Perlin

Articles & Chapters

At the core of any legal decision is an assumption that the decision will be “fair,” yet this is an elusive term. A close study of cases involving criminal defendants with mental disabilities shows that many (perhaps most) of the decisions involving this cohort are not “fair” in the contexts of due process and justice. If legal decisions reflect principles such as procedural justice, restorative justice, and therapeutic jurisprudence, the chances of such fairness will be significantly enhanced. This chapter explains why this goal of fairness, in the context of these cases, can never be met absent a consideration of …

2023-2024 Louisiana Adult Justice, Institute For Public Health And Justice, Data Collecting And Reporting

Policy & Position Papers

No abstract provided.

2023-2024 Louisiana Juvenile Justice, Institute For Public Health And Justice, Data Collecting And Reporting

Policy & Position Papers

No abstract provided.

Exacting Assessments: Sheetz And The Problem Of Stategraft, Christopher Serkin

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

In the spring of 2024, the United States Supreme Court decided Sheetz v. County of El Dorado. The case resolved a long-standing question: whether the constitutional rules applying to ad hoc development exactions also apply to legislated exactions. They do. It is an important case, and one that may reconfigure the financing of municipal infrastructure. This Essay examines the case through the lens of Professor Bernadette Atuahene's concept of "stategraft," or the government illegally using its regulatory power to raise money from the poor and politically powerless. This Essay compares legislative exactions to other forms of municipal finance like special …

Promoting And Reforming Kenya’S Customary Justice Systems In Criminal Cases, Daniel S. Mcconkie Jr.

Emory International Law Review

Kenya’s indigenous customary justice systems developed over time to administer African justice rooted in local community harmony. British Colonialists imposed a foreign legal system, and Kenya formally retained that system even after gaining independence in 1963. Nevertheless, ordinary Kenyans today continue to resort to customary justice systems for their legal problems, including many crimes. The 2010 Constitution requires the judiciary to promote customary justice systems because they are trustworthy and accessible. Paradoxically, though, the Constitution also forbids these customary justice systems from contravening other constitutional provisions. Therein lies the difficulty. Customary justice systems’ procedures do not always comport with …

Mata V. Meta Platforms, California Superior Court

Historical and Topical Legal Documents

No abstract provided.

Barriers To Higher Education Daca Recipients Face In The United States, Natalie Porter

Ballard Brief

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is a policy that provides temporary relief from deportation to young undocumented immigrants, as well as social security cards and legal work authorization to qualifying individuals. Students with DACA encounter a variety of barriers to completing higher education due to the nature of the DACA policy. DACA places restrictions on access to federal resources and state resources, inhibiting access to financial aid opportunities. DACA does not provide lawful status to recipients—this breeds uncertainty about the future, preventing DACA students from scholastic planning. The uncertainty of the future is exacerbated by the fact that DACA …

Standing In The Way Of Environmental Justice, Lauren Cormany

Utah Law Review

Private citizens need an avenue for justice through the judicial system on the siting of hazardous facilities. The health impacts of exposure to toxic facilities—like cancer, respiratory illnesses, and birth defects—are severe and victims deserve their day in court. While initiatives by government agencies and grassroots organizations provide influential roads to improvement, the judiciary stands to only bolster the efficacy of the work in the environmental justice field. The most effective way to include the courts is through the legislature creating a cause of action targeting the issues that communities face. Solutions to the issue of citizen standing in challenging …