Digital Commons Network^™

Campus Police Legitimacy And Campus Crime Reporting: Moderating Effects Of Academic Major, James Earl Lyons Ii

Theses and Dissertations

Investigating crimes on college campuses is a prevalent phenomenon that often requires student cooperation with campus police. Using the procedural justice theory’s process-based approach, this applied research examined the likelihood of students reporting campus crime based on their perceived legitimacy of campus police and whether the student’s academic major moderated the relationship. The study used a quantitative, non-experimental design employing non-probability sampling methods.

Procedural justice is a theoretical approach that explains cooperation with police as the result of interactions. The theory asserts that regardless of the outcome, when citizens perceive interactions with police as procedurally just and fair, they are …

Punitive Experiences: Perspectives Of School Discipline Among Black American Males, Joseph Martin King

Theses and Dissertations

Among student groups within American public schools to date, Black males continue to be one of the most marginalized student groups in America. In spite of all the documented research findings that describe the problem from a research, policy, and practice standpoint, and given the plethora of well-documented knowledge of structural patterns identified and labeled as zero-tolerance policies and/or the school-to-prison pipeline, in conjunction with school reform attempts, Black males remain the largest segment of students who are academically discouraged and disproportionally affected by discipline in American public schools. Among the abundance of academic literature that describes the academic marginalization …

Faculty Experiences Incorporating Universal Design For Learning In Online Course Design At Historically Black Colleges And Universities, Chinyere Yvette James

Theses and Dissertations

Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) contributed to over 20% of all bachelor’s degrees earned by African American students. Since the 2019 pandemic, HBCUs have provided more online course offerings to their students. The continued success of HBCUs depends on their ability to grow with technology. This study examined the lived experiences of faculty applying universal design for learning (UDL) principles in online courses at HBCUs. This study was conducted to gain insight into the impact UDL had on retention rates, learning experience, and implementation. Online courses at HBCUs are underdeveloped, which poses a problem for continued growth and success …

Examination Of The Differences And Similarities In The Classification Of Multiple Homicide Perpetrators, Lucy M. Papp

Theses and Dissertations

The applied dissertation compares the lifestyle and behavioral characteristics of mass, serial, and spree murderers. Historically, studies have focused on serial murder according to the perpetrator's typology or indicators at the crime scene. The current topics of research lack a comparison of these classifications. While the classification and described typologies are essential for academic and investigative purposes, understanding the impactful lifestyle factors of these perpetrators may also serve as an essential factor in predictive analysis, victimology, and the motive behind their heinous crimes.

The researcher collected data on the classifications for each type of multiple homicide perpetrator: mass, serial, and …

Exploring Communication Preferences And Experiences Of First-Generation Students: Bridging Psychological Distance With Librarians In Online, Hybrid, And In-Person Library Environments—An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, Sabine Jean Dantus

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation explored the preferred communication methods for reducing the psychological distance between librarians and 17 first-generation students (FG004 – FG020), including graduate and undergraduate participants in the University Libraries’ online, hybrid, and in-person environments. Through interpretative phenomenological analysis, eight themes emerged, illustrating how participants' communication preferences, cultural and linguistic demands, financial obstacles, and early library experiences affected their communication expectations with librarians.

The findings revealed a dichotomy between in-person and online communication preferences, with participants valuing both the immediacy and social presence of face-to-face interactions and the convenience of online tools like chat services. Cultural and linguistic familiarity …

A Study Of K-5 Teacher Perceptions Of Home Visits On Attitude, Belief, And Behavior, Dene E. Gainey

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the qualitative descriptive study was to explore teacher perceptions of attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs as it pertained to home visits. The body of research available prior to the study focused on parent appreciation and takeaways from home visit experiences and/or students’ achievement as it pertained to having experienced a teacher coming into their home environments. Specifically, the researcher wanted to understand how K-5 teachers perceived their attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs prior to conducting home visits, during home visits and after the home visits were completed.

Through semi-structured interviews, participants were asked a series of questions that were …

Exploring The Integration Of Technology In Elementary Literacy Instruction: A Qualitative Descriptive Study, Melvina L. Barton

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study delved into the challenges faced by elementary educators at a suburban school in integrating technology-enhanced literacy pedagogy to bolster student success. Guided by Venkatesh’s unified theory of acceptance, the research investigated educators’ perceptions and utilization of technology in literacy instruction to foster student achievement. Key questions probed teachers’ perceptions of technology’s role in enhancing literacy outcomes and their views on administrative support for instructional practices.

Data collection involved interviews and surveys with 12 participants, selected based on demographics and teaching credentials. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify patterns and insights. The study explored the alignment among literacy …

A Qualitative Descriptive Study Of The Perspectives Of Health Care Leaders Concerning The Implementation Of Telehealth, Gary Gerard Camille

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how healthcare leaders on the east coast United States described the role of implementing, the outer setting, inner setting, individual characteristics, and the process when implementing telehealth in a patient-centered care environment in hospitals and healthcare facilities.

The study used a qualitative method with a descriptive design to capture the descriptions of the participant’s experience during the implementation of telehealth in a patient centered care environment in different health care facilities in east coast of the United States. Due to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the interview sessions and …

The Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach With Contingency Management: Examining The Effectiveness Of Relapse Prevention Program For Adolescents, Gwendolyn Bullard

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to examine the efficacy of the adolescent community reinforcement approach with and without contingency management to improve the lives of adolescents with substance use disorder in relapse prevention programs. Adolescents with substance use disorder do not have access to effective continuing care and relapse prevention in rural towns in the state of Georgia. There is no ongoing care for adolescents with substance use disorder that incorporates a comprehensive treatment plan that includes community reinforcement approaches along with contingency management.

Relying on a multi-element research design, the researcher investigated the interaction between the adolescent community reinforcement …

Investigating Teacher’S Perceptions Of Equitable Author Choices In Secondary High School Classrooms, Joy Price

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how English teachers can incorporate diverse authors into instruction. The following research questions guided the study:

1. What do teachers describe as the pros/cons of integrating diverse perspectives into teachers’ instruction, in the form of literature by diverse authors?

2. In what ways and how can incorporating literature by diverse authors benefit students?

3. What challenges may teachers face when integrating diverse literature perspectives into instruction?

4. What might enable teachers to integrate diverse literature perspectives into instruction.

The researcher developed designed and field tested a questionnaire for teachers to take …

Middle School Mainstream Educators’ Perceptions Of Preparedness For Teaching English Language Learners, Jessica Lebron

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was crafted to investigate the perspectives of middle school educators concerning their preparedness to instruct English language learners (ELL), an expanding subgroup of students. Given that over half of the student population in the target school district communicates in languages other than English at home, there is a heightened emphasis on fostering language and cultural connections between educators and students. Despite this, a significant number of educators within the school expressed a sense of inadequacy in teaching ELL students. In response to these concerns, some educators proactively sought additional, more specialized professional development opportunities to enhance their …

Exploring Human Resources Practices And Challenges To Retain And Develop Millennial Workers For Future Leadership Roles In The Transportation And Logistics Industry: A Phenomenological Perspective, Graciela Pineda-Blasco

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation examined Human Resources practices in place in the Transportation and Logistics industry aimed at the retention, and development of millennial talent into future corporate leaders in the industry. Despite extensive literature on millennials, there remains ambiguity regarding their specific traits, behaviors, and commitment within corporate settings.

Given the generationally diverse workforce, it is crucial to understand the unique needs and expectations of different cohorts. This study focuses on millennials' communication styles, technological adaptability, and expectations for training and advancement. The findings highlight significant issues in current corporate culture, particularly in HR retention and training strategies, which are …

A Qualitative Study: Sex Offenders’ Perceptions Of The State’S Sex Offender Registry, Ann Marie Elliott

Theses and Dissertations

Sex offender registries (SOR) were created because of gruesome crimes committed against minors and the vulnerable, and they serve as a punishment. Empirically, SORs have become more functional over the years, so providing accurate information should be fundamental. It is the topic of discussion in many conversations, specifically during holidays and events involving minors, and it is used for background searches and ongoing investigations. Consequently, society expects the information displayed to be precise. Inaccurate information can potentially be harmful, especially to sex offenders. Nevertheless, when SOR is mentioned, rightfully so, society, including law enforcement, immediately exhibits sympathetic emotions for the …

In Their Own Words: The Unique Perceptions Of Minority Encounters With Law Enforcement, Summer Louis

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the perceptions of people of color who have experienced interactions with law enforcement during adulthood. Utilizing a qualitative approach, in-depth interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 12 individuals of color. The findings illuminated various perceptions significantly influenced by personal experiences and community context. The most prominent themes identified by the majority of participants include: (1) frequency of police encounters; (2) personal experiences with law enforcement; (3) negative experiences; (4) racial profiling; (5) police misconduct or mistreatment; (6) police use of force and excessive force; (7) contributing factors to these experiences; (8) perceptions of law enforcement …

Pressure Points: A Quantitative Study Of Young Adults Perception Of Police Officers, Yasmean Talas

Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to quantify factors contributing to young adults' perceptions of law enforcement based on their experiences and exchanges with police. Data were collected via an online survey from young adults to assess variables such as peer influence, familial influence, social media impact, police interactions, and perceptions of law enforcement (POPS).

On average, participants exhibited neutral perceptions of law enforcement. The analyses revealed significant relationships between family influence, social media impact, police interactions, and POPS scores. Specifically, family and police interactions showed significantly positive associations with POPS scores, indicating that strong family bonds and positive police interactions tend to …

Case Study: Implementing Strategies To Meet The Needs Of English Language Learners, Sierra Brooks

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to provide an understanding of effective ways to meet the needs of English language learners. To focus its inquiry and gain a thorough understanding of the experiences and methods of teachers in various classroom environments, the study used a case study approach. Extensive interviews with the participants yielded interesting insights into the methods they use to tailor their instruction to the requirements of their students as well as the useful resources they include into their instruction. A thorough grasp of instructional dynamics was also made possible by the participants' permission for the researcher to observe …

Exploring The Differences In Military Attitudes Toward Rape Myths And Their Relationship To Demographic Factors, Essence Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

Military sexual assault crimes, including rape, attempted sexual assault, unwanted sexual contact, and sexual harassment, have continued to increase over the last few decades. The issue has become problematic enough for the Department of Defense to allocate a significant amount of money for sexual assault resources. Specifically, the Department of Defense gives millions of dollars each year for the prevention and training of sexual assault, yet the issue continues to persist. There is a lack of understanding of the posture of service members' attitudes toward sexual assault and if certain demographics differ in their attitudes toward rape myths. While sexual …

Parent Participation In Student Academics And Behaviors At An Urban Early Learning Center Utilizing The Two-Generation Approach To Education, Angela E. Hamilton

Theses and Dissertations

The problem in the study was students living in low-income areas, below the poverty level, were vulnerable to experiencing less academic and behavioral success in school. The purpose was to understand how the experiences of parents engaged in a twogeneration approach impacted the success of students living in poverty. The early education and care of young children, especially those of low socioeconomic status, was essential for child development. Children who attended these programs were more likely to develop the necessary skills to become lifelong learners. When children attended early childhood education programs, it helped prepare them cognitively and socially prior …

Examining The Intersection Of Policing And Mental Health: Analyzing Baker Act Admissions In Davie, Florida, Matthew Goodnow

Theses and Dissertations

This study focused on the Police Department of the City of Davie, Florida. It analyzed the rate of involuntary admissions under the Florida Mental Health Act, commonly known as the Baker Act, focusing on factors such as officer experience, training, demographics, and other variables. Using descriptive and inferential statistics, the research provides insights into Baker Act admissions to inform policies and interventions to improve mental health services and relieve strain on law enforcement resources.

Key findings indicate that Crisis Intervention Team training significantly increases the likelihood of officers performing Baker Acts. In contrast, more experienced officers tend to perform fewer …

Strategies Teachers Use To Encourage Student Reading Motivation And Engagement In The High School Setting: A Generic Qualitative Study, Shelia Tate

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to provide an understanding of the practices and strategies used by Title 1 high school teachers to promote student reading motivation and engagement. Engaging students in the curriculum and motivating them to read is essential to a successful classroom experience. As districts move to a more prescribed curriculum with provided scope and sequence, teachers look for ways to engage their students and provide relevant resources to meet their students' needs creatively.

The researcher interviewed teachers to explore their beliefs, strategies, and practices for fostering student reading motivation and classroom engagement in high school. The guiding …

Female Offenders: Exploring Risk Factors For Adulthood Violence, Lauren N. Fowler

Theses and Dissertations

The number of females under correctional supervision has been increasing in the last four decades. For adult women, these offenses are generally drug offenses; however, there have also been increases in the number of women committing violent crimes. Unfortunately, violent females are an understudied population, which limits the data available to inform programs and policies that could address the problem. This study explored potential factors related to violent behavior among adult females by analyzing public-use data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ Survey of Prison Inmates, 2016. More specifically, violent and nonviolent state and federal female inmates were assessed regarding …

Exploring The Role Of The Teacher In Motivating Students To Learn Mathematics At Alternative High Schools, Anne-Marie Johanne Mohammed

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this applied dissertation was to provide an in-depth understanding of the teacher’s role in motivating students to learn mathematics at alternative high schools because motivation impacts academic achievement in mathematics. Students in South Florida must pass an end-of-course exam in algebra as a requirement to receive a high school diploma. Therefore, it is essential that students are motivated to learn the mathematics concepts that are necessary to pass the end-of-course exam. This research study was guided by the following research questions:

1. How and in what ways do mathematics teachers adjust and integrate instructional strategies to support …

The Effects Of Jurisdictional Variances On Rates Of Rape Offenses: How Differing Jurisdictional Definitions Contribute To America’S Rape Culture, David Lopez-Herrera

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between jurisdictional definitions of rape and rape offense rates across various states in the U.S., with the goal of proposing a standardized federal definition to enhance consistency in data collection and improve the efficacy of legal responses. Despite extensive research on rape, no prior studies have explored the impact of jurisdictional definition variances on state rape offense rates. This seminal study aimed to fill this gap by analyzing the correlation between state-specific rape definitions and reported rape offenses, utilizing a theoretical breakdown of definitions into eight components and a rubric for evaluation.

The analysis revealed …

A Systematic Review Of Preferred Practices To Reintegrate Male Opiate Addicts Into Family Relations While In An Evidence-Based Recovery Program, Arkaya Williams-Abbott

Theses and Dissertations

Active addiction strains family relationships. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review to determine preferred practices to help reintegrate male opiate addicts into family relations while in an evidence-based recovery program. Twenty-three articles of various methodologies were reviewed. Findings indicated three themes: stigma and men with opioid disorder, how men seek help, and family relationships and role in substance abuse treatment. Findings showed evidence-based programming should ensure training for treatment providers on men’s socialization and how it affects their approach to treatment and lack of willingness to seek help. Effective communication and de-stigmatized language is another …

Iot Revolutionizes Humidity Measurement And Management In Smart Cities To Enhance Health And Wellness, Pushan Kumar Dutta, Bhupinder Singh, Al-Sayed K. Towfeek, Jovanna Pantelis Adamopoulou, Antonis Nikos Bardavouras, Wilson Bamwerinde, Benson Turyasingura, Natal Ayiga

Mesopotamian Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare

This paper sets itself in a context of examining how IoT technology is disrupting and revolutionizing the monitoring and control of relative humidity in different spheres of smart cities with special reference to the enhancement of well-being in the information society. The authors discuss the current emergent research topics in IoT-based humidity sensors, wireless communication systems, and big data analytics for monitoring and controlling the humidity in real time. The paper also presents an outlook into various fields such as agriculture, healthcare, intelligent houses, industries, as well as the environment, and presents an indication of how managing humidity accurately enhances …

Kids, Courts And Canines: Evaluating The Justice Facility Dog Program Through A Therapeutic Lens In The Perth Children's Court, Suzanne Rock, Natalie Gately

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Court environments can be stressful and induce anxiety in victims, witnesses, and other court users. Taking heed from justice facilities in other jurisdictions, the Children's Court of Western Australia introduced Winston, a justice facility dog, at the Perth Children's Court facility to help reduce the stress and anxiety of victims, witnesses, and court users. This article presents survey (n = 55) and interview data (n = 17) from staff and stakeholders who reported positive changes in the court atmosphere, with limited negative impacts on the running of the court. Surveys were also conducted with child victims/survivors (n = 13), caregivers …

Risk Factors As Indicators For Online Child Sexual Abuse: A Systematic Review, Lesley Lally, Isobel Webb, Ethel Quayle

Irish Journal of Applied Social Studies

Abstract

Introduction: Online child sexual abuse has been described as a serious public health issue worldwide in today’s society. The long-term consequences of such abuse have been well-reported, and the risks in which youth are made more vulnerable to this abuse must be better understood.

Objective: To synthesise and evaluate the literature regarding risk factors of online sexual exploitation by focusing on the following question: What are the risk factors that make children vulnerable to online child sexual abuse and solicitation?

Method: A systematic review was completed using search strings within several databases, a hand search was conducted, and …

Dog-Training Programs For Incarcerated Women, Susan Grover

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Prison dog-training programs are a fairly new rehabilitative practice in women’s prisons. This study seeks to identify the effects dog-training programs have on women while incarcerated and then once reintegrated back into their family and community. This study includes an analytic literature review of the research on animal training programs and dog training programs in general. Most of the existing research, however, focuses on men and boys and shows that while prison-based dog-training programs are largely beneficial, they are less so for boys and do create unique vulnerabilities in men’s prisons. This study extends the previous research by examining the …

Suspected Vs. Diagnosed Mental Illness, Race, And The Ngri Plea, Alexa Roudabush

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

No abstract provided.

Seeing The Forest For The Trees: The Role Of Growth-Oriented Leadership In Shaping Public Servants’ Work Experiences In The Post-Npm Environment, Esme Franken, Aglae Hernandez Grande, Ben Farr-Wharton, Fleur Sharafizad, Tim Bentley

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In recent years, growth-oriented leadership (GOL) has come to the fore as a salient predictor of positive employee outcomes in public sector contexts. This empirical paper examines the role of GOL in shaping perceptions of quantitative demands as a product of an evolved New Public Management (NPM) context and the subsequent impact on stress and well-being for 419 local government employees working in Western Australia. While latent in previous GOL-oriented studies, this paper is the first to explore the intersection of GOL and quantitative demands, noting that the former has an established positive effect on employee wellbeing, and the opposite …