Digital Commons Network^™

Taking The Bang Out Of The Gang: The Impact Of Catholic Schools On Gang Homicides In El Salvador, Ann Jillian Villanueva Adona

Master's Theses

This study explores the impact of Catholic presence on homicide rates in El Salvador, specifically focusing on the role of Catholic schools in reducing violence in gang-afflicted municipalities. Analyzing municipality-level data from various years, I used Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and Instrumental Variable (IV) regressions to study the association between school enrollment and homicide rates. Results show that higher enrollment in Catholic schools is linked to a reduction in homicide rates in gang-affected areas, contrasting with an increase in homicides for non-religious schools. This research sheds light on the importance of investing in Catholic education as a strategy for violence …

Exploring The Relationship Between Load Shedding And Crime In Gauteng, Bhavesh Ram

Master's Theses

This study investigates the impact of load shedding, a recurring power outage phenomenon in South Africa, on crime rates in the densely populated Gauteng province. Using a novel dataset that combines Eskom's load shedding schedules with detailed crime statistics from 2015 to 2022, a fixed-effects regression model is employed to examine the relationship between blackout hours and various crime categories. Findings reveal that while load shedding does not significantly affect overall crime rates, it significantly increases the incidence of contact crimes and sexual offenses, particularly during daylight hours. Additionally, our results provide evidence that load shedding diminishes the ability of …

Strategies For Building Supply Chain Resilience And Sustainability Within Law Enforcement, Vladimir Walter Jankov

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Insufficient supply chain management expertise among law enforcement departments during black swan events may hurt the operationality, functionality, and effectiveness of their purpose to keep the communities safe. Grounded in black swan theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies for building supply chain resilience and sustainability within law enforcement. Data were collected from 11 command staff personnel from three law enforcement departments in South Carolina through semi-structured interviews, member checking, and assessments of organizational documents related to departmental supply chain policies and procedures. Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six-step thematic analysis framework. Six …

Fire Management In The Face Of Rapid Climate Change: A Case Study Of The Yukon Flats Workshop, Abigail Hicks

Natural Resources

The management of wildfires in Alaska stands as a multifaceted social-ecological challenge without a singular, definitive solution. Due to the influence of climate change, wildfires have evolved in their behavioral patterns, prompting a reevaluation of the effectiveness of existing fire management strategies to accommodate the dynamic requirements of both ecosystems and stakeholders. During the COVID 19 pandemic in 2021, a virtual workshop entitled, "Improving Wildfire Management Decision-Making for the Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge: A Workshop," brought together scientists and wildfire managers. This workshop facilitated collaborative discussions on some of the most pressing issues surrounding wildfire management plans for the …

The Awareness Of Missing And Murdered Indigenous Women And Girls (Mmiwg): Policy Steps Toward Addressing The Crisis, Meenakshi P. Richardson, Kimberly Klein, Stephany Runninghawk Johnson

American Indian Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Facial Recognition Ai: Alaska Is An Ideal Forum For Introducing Regulation, Sarah Edwards

Alaska Law Review

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly commonplace, we are all exposed to shockingly dystopian forms of surveillance. This Note details the unique danger of facial recognition technologies powered by artificial intelligence. First, this Note examines the rise of facial recognition technologies in both the public and the private sector. It illustrates this phenomenon by highlighting a few key players in both the development and implementation of facial recognition. Second, it proceeds by examining the current privacy landscape in Alaska. Alaska's unique focus on privacy rights makes the State a promising forum for regulation. Finally, it provides possible statutory and judicial solutions …

Blight Made Right: Defects In State Condemnation Laws And A Roadmap For Reform In Alaska And Beyond, Sam Spiegelman

Alaska Law Review

Susette Kelo's old house in New London, Connecticut is long gone, as is the entire Fort Trumbull neighborhood that once surrounded it. In 2005, the U.S. Supreme Court decided a case—Kelo v. City of New London—that cost her and her neighbors their homes and sparked a wave of state-level reforms to mitigate its potential damage to private property. In Kelo, the Court held that "economic development" as a "public purpose" was also a legitimate "public use" under the Fifth Amendment's Takings Clause, which provides "nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation." As Justice …

Rabies Management In The North, A One Health Problem In A Systems Theory Framework, Karsten Hueffer

Arctic and Northern Studies

Rabies is a significant public health concern and is often described as the quintessential One Health problem, linking especially animal health to human health. I examine how rabies is managed in the circumpolar North with three cases: Alaska, Northwest Territories, and Svalbard. In this thesis, I describe rabies management in the North using a systems theory framework and explore challenges in this limited application of the One Health paradigm, focusing on animal and human health agencies and their interaction in rabies management in a northern environment. I conducted semi-structured interviews with fifteen key informants. My results indicate that most respondents …

Leveraging Collaboration In Advocacy: An Examination Of The 501(C)(4) Regulatory Framework And Its Utility For Advancing Immigrant Rights, Christine D. Ambegia

Master's Projects and Capstones

The nonprofit sector is uniquely positioned for leading the charge in advocacy through various social justice movements, and their capacity to engage in lobbying work plays a crucial role in advancing policies that contribute to the collective good. The regulations on lobbying that are set forth and enforced by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for nonprofit 501(c)(3) public charities can limit them from aggressively engaging in policy and advocacy work that holds legislators accountable to their constituents. Nonprofit 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations are governed by a regulatory framework that has the potential to expand on 501(c)(3) charities’ work because they …

Clearing The Bar: Catharine Waugh Mcculloch And Illinois Legal Reform, Sandra L. Ryder

DePaul Journal for Social Justice

No abstract provided.

Secrecy On Steroids: How Overzealous State Confidentiality Laws Expose Leakers And Whistleblowers To Retaliatory Prosecution, Frank D. Lomonte, Anne Marie Tamburro

University of Miami Law Review

It is well-documented that the federal government has a secrecy problem. Thousands of times a year, inconsequential documents are needlessly stamped “classified,” which can mean prison for anyone who leaks them. But the addiction to secrecy doesn’t stop with the Pentagon. State public-records statutes are riddled with their own local version of “classified information” that puts people at risk of prosecution even for well-intentioned whistleblowing.

The problem is particularly acute in Florida, where one of the state’s highest-ranking elected officials spent almost two years as the target of a criminal investigation for releasing records about an unresolved sexual harassment complaint …

Spectator 2024-05-16, Editors Of The Spectator

The Spectator

No abstract provided.

Graduate School Commencement Exercises Program, May 16, 2024

Bryant University Commencements

Bryant University Graduate School Commencement Exercises Program, May 16, 2024.

Impact Of Leadership Decisions On Police Officer Well-Being: A Covid-19 Response, Jason N. Spencer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative dissertation research project is to determine the impact that law enforcement leaders, their leadership styles, and decision-making processes have on the well-being of police officers. This study sought to understand this impact by focusing on the perspectives of frontline police officers, detectives, and first-line supervisors from various law enforcement organizations in the Central Virginia Region and within the context of leadership decisions made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Using the constructivist grounded theory approach to research design, 12 participants responded to an initial qualitative questionnaire, followed by a semi-structured interview to gain the rich, …

The Detention Of Immigration Policy: How States Are Commandeering Dhs Enforcement Guidelines, Brianna Riguera

University of Miami Inter-American Law Review

In 2021, the Department of Homeland Security issued immigration guidelines that de-emphasized detention and removal of non-citizens who, aside from being undocumented, are otherwise contributing members of communities across the United States. However, Arizona, Montana, Ohio, Texas, and Louisiana challenged these guidelines, launching a nuanced legal dispute that concerned states standing under Article III, prosecutorial discretion, and nationwide preliminary injunctions. In United States v. Texas, the Court ruled 8-1 that the states lacked standing and reversed the Fifth Circuit’s nationwide injunction, but the majority opinion failed to address the other legal issues that are pressing on a rife debate about …

The Oberlin Saga: Integrating North America’S Pipeline System And Potential Impacts On Hydrogen, Samuel Stephens

University of Miami Inter-American Law Review

This Article explores how the D.C. Circuit’s decision in City of Oberlin, Ohio v. FERC (2022) (Oberlin II) will impact future natural gas pipelines and potentially even future hydrogen infrastructure. While the decision reinforced support for integrating North American natural gas infrastructure, given uncertainties in how the United States will regulate the emerging hydrogen industry, there is a chance that the decision could be more expansive than what initially meets the eye. By continuing down the path of supporting North American energy integration, Congress, federal courts, and administrative agencies will help prepare the United States for an uncertain energy future. …

Perceptions Of Developmental Disability Service Providers, On How The Judicial System Responses To Persons With Developmental Disabilities., Donna Whilby

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The situation or issue that prompted me to search the literature was observing the persons with developmental disabilities circling the judicial system due to multiple encounters with law enforcement. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how the Northeast Florida judicial system could improve the outcomes of persons with developmental disabilities by reducing and preventing multiple encounters. The empowerment theory was the most appropriate theory for my study. Empowerment theory indicates that it is imperative to encourage people, especially those who have a psychological deficit, to lean into their resources to gain and utilize their power in society. …

The "Essence" From Within: A Phenomenological Study Examining The Lived Experiences Of Racial And Ethnic Minoritized Women (Raemw) Senior Level Administrators At 4-Year Predominately White Institutions (Pwis) In The United States (U.S.), Felicia Crockett

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of senior level RAEMW administrators who work at 4-year PWIs in the U.S. and analyze the impact of institutional environments on their success. The theories that guided this study were: Crenshaw’s (1994; 1989; 2015) intersectionality framework and four tenets of CRT which include counter-storytelling, the permanence of racism, interest convergence, and intersectionality (Hiraldo, 2010, 2019). This study was guided by the three research questions: 1) How do RAEMW senior level administrators describe their experiences navigating higher education, 2) How do senior level RAEMW administrators describe the impact of institutional environments …

استخدام أجهزة الشرطة للطائرات دون طيار, Hassanein Tawfik Ibrahim Ali

All Works

شَهِدَ العالمُ، خلال السنوات الأخيرة، طفرةً هائلةً في صناعةِ الطائرات دون طيار، التي تُطْلَقُ عليها أسماءٌ عديدةٌ، مثل: الطائرات المُسَيَّرَة، والدرونز (Drones)، والمركبات الجوية غير المأهولة (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles). وتتجلى هذه الطفرة في ظهور أنواع عديدة وأجيال جديدة من هذه الطائرات، وانتشارها على نطاق عالمي واسع مع تعدد وتنوع استخداماتها. فهي تُستخدم حاليًّا من قِبَلِ أجهزة الشرطة والأمن لأداء مهام تتعلق بالأمن والسلامة في العشرات من دول العالم. كما أصبحت هذه الطائراتُ تُشَكِّلُ مكونًا مُهِمًّا ضمن المنظومات التسليحية للعديد من الدول، وخاصة في ظل تنوع استخداماتها في المجال العسكري. ولذلك فقد برز دورها كأحد الأسلحة الرئيسة في الحروب الحديثة، سواء …

“Minimal-Impact” Las Vegas Spaceport, Joshua Bombala

Hospitality Design Graduate Student Capstones

The development of a Minimal-Impact spaceport stands as a pivotal stride in the pursuit of sustainable aerospace initiatives, bridging the gap between human progress and environmental care. This thesis seeks to explore the emotional impact of architecture on guests, drawing parallels from the world of aerospace to examine how the design of spaces, such as those in Las Vegas, significantly influences the emotions of visitors. By conceptualizing a Minimal-Impact spaceport that minimizes ecological footprint, optimizes resource efficiency using local resources, and seamlessly blends with its natural environment, this thesis contends that a spaceport should adhere to a new set standard …

Decision In Art. 78 Proceeding - Beltran, Elias (2024-05-08)

Decisions in Art. 78 Proceedings

No abstract provided.

Law Enforcement Public Administrators’ Emotional Intelligence And Transformational Leadership Behaviors, Larry Allen Jacobs

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Policing needs public administrators willing to implement the strategies and objectives of transformational leadership (TL) and emotional intelligence (EI) to integrate and effectively incorporate elements of the presidential Executive Order 14074 to address the public policy issues of policing in communities. This qualitative study aimed to explore the EI and TL behaviors of law enforcement public administrators through the lens of six subordinate personnel. The foundational constructs for this dissertation were TL theory, trait EI theory, and process theory. The research questions sought the experiences of subordinate personnel regarding law enforcement public administrators’ EI and TL behaviors. The study also …

Navigating The Next 50 Years: The Endangered Species Act, Climate Change, And The Pursuit Of Abundance, Andrea A. Treece

Duke Environmental Law & Policy Forum

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Mckinney Vento Act Of 1987 With Homeless Students In Mississippi, Denetra Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Services for students who are homeless allows students and their families to deal with their living situation psychologically and offer them resources need to succeed educationally. The purpose of this research was to examine how services to homeless students in one area of Mississippi inform policy makers of the needs that are addressed with the McKinney Vento Act. The McKinney Vento Act was passed to benefit homeless students because they deserve the same quality of education, transportation to and from school, access to meals as well as various needed academic support as those that are not homeless. Being homeless places …

A Foresight Study For Sustainable Urban Transport Systems: The Case Of Dubai, Salahuddin Bassem Masadeh

Theses

Mainly, this research proposes a future study for sustainable transportation systems in the city and the importance of applying these systems in Dubai to prevent accidents, to make it more sustainable and save more lives. It will identify the practical actions and results of applying these technologies and their social, economic, urban, and environmental effects. These actions will increase the growth of the economy and the quality of life in Dubai City by achieving their transportation sustainability objectives. Another goal of the research is to foster the association between city shareholders, construction companies, government, and traffic officers to apply sustainable …

A De-Regulated Militia: The Diminished Training Requirements For Ohio Teachers To Carry Weapons In Schools, Richard Sharp

University of Cincinnati Law Review

No abstract provided.

Iaa-Producing Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria From Ceanothus Velutinus Enhance Cutting Propagation Efficiency And Arabidopsis Biomass, Jyothsna Ganesh, Katherine Hewitt, Ananta Raj Devkota, Ty Wilson, Amita Kaundal

Plants, Soils, and Climate Faculty Publications

Climate-induced drought impacts plant growth and development. Recurring droughts increase the demand for water for food production and landscaping. Native plants in the Intermountain West region of the US are of keen interest in low water use landscaping as they are acclimatized to dry and cold environments. These native plants do very well at their native locations but are difficult to propagate in landscape. One of the possible reasons is the lack of associated microbiome in the landscaping. Microbiome in the soil contributes to soil health and impacts plant growth and development. Here, we used the bulk soil from the …

Strategic Succession Planning - Executive-Level Leadership In A Government Agency, Tajah Adams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Candidate Development Program (CDP) is responsible for the training, development, and succession planning of government senior executive service (SES) members. While not all SES must go through this program, the CDP initiative is operational in 10 out of 24 federal agencies governed by the Chief Financial Officer Act. In this quantitative study, the client organization wanted to know the strategies a government agency may use to increase executive-level employee development to prepare them for executive appointments. In the current study, a self-administered web-based survey was distributed to CDP Current Trainees, CDP Graduates, and CDP Agency Representatives. The findings led …

Smart Technology For Enhancing Indoor Air Quality, Abdulaziz Mohammed

Theses

The COP28 emission reduction plan underscores the imperative of transitioning away from fossil fuels to combat climate change. Concurrently, the rapid adoption of Internet of Things technology has emerged as a transformative force in urban governance, offering cities enhanced resilience and operational frameworks through data analytics and real-time monitoring. In response to these trends, the present research focused on leveraging IoT technology to monitor indoor air quality within a “restaurant A” in an urban area in Dubai. Employing advanced data analytics and smart sensor technologies, particularly LoRa, the project aimed to analyze and monitor air quality parameters. Disposing the sensor …

“But Is It Worth The Maintenance?”: Exploring The Ways Adolescent Preservice Teachers Develop Teaching Identities And Implement Pedagogical Practices, Tiffany Hamm

Dissertations - ALL

The climate crisis is an environmental issue that affects people of all walks of life but has disproportionate effects on those living in impoverished communities. The climate crisis therefore is not only an issue of environmental justice, but also social justice. However, incorporating environmental issues within education has typically been left to science classrooms. Teaching for environmental social justice, however, has the potential to extend beyond science content and science classrooms, and instead be incorporated in content across all academic disciplines. This dissertation is a teaching experiment that explored the ways adolescent preservice teachers from various disciplines develop their teaching …