Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons^™

Overlooked Destinations: Suburban Nodes, Centers, And Trips To Strips, Nico Larco, Robert Parker

TREC Final Reports

This study looks at travel to typical suburban commercial strips by residents living within one-third of a mile of the strip by focusing on six sites – four in the Portland, OR., metro area and two in the Atlanta, GA., metro area. The study mapped pedsheds around the commercial strips in these sites and found significant increases in network extents when formal and informal pedestrian paths were added to street centerline data. Informal networks such as goat paths through vacant land and cuts in fences were widespread and suggest a pent-up demand for route directness. Travel surveys of residents found …

Breach Of Allegiance: The History Of Treason Charges In The U.S., And Its Rebirth In The Age Of Terrorism, David Lewis

HIM 1990-2015

The purpose of this thesis is to provide a legal history and analysis of how the treason clause has been utilized since the U.S. Constitution was ratified in 1789. Further, the United States and the United Kingdom share not only a historical parallel of the meaning and use of the charge of treason, but also an abandonment of using the charge today. This thesis will provide an in-depth legal history of treason charges in the United States, along with its close parallels in historical evolution and usage to that of the United Kingdom. Focusing prominently on treason throughout United States …

The Effects Of The Bi-Partisan Campaign Reform Act On The Process Of The Campaign Finance In The Presidential Nomination Process, Karen Sebold

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act increased the individual donor limit to $2,000 per candidate per election and indexed the limit for inflation every two years. The primary research question guiding this study is how has the increase in the donor limit affected donor behavior. Answering this question should allow a determination to be made about how donors have responded to the increased donor limit. Understanding how donors responded to the doubled limit is important because it provides evidence on the intersection of wealth inequality and political influence. To answer the research question this study considers how the increased donor limit …

Medicaid Expansion, Long-Term Care Financing In Retirement States And The Post World War Ii Birth Cohort, Toni P. Miles

Center for Policy Research

This policy brief contains a formal consideration of ideas discussed during a presentation to the 2012 Syracuse Seminar on Aging. Like most briefs, it will appeal to policy makers and academics craving detailed demographic, fiscal and policy data. Before diving into this brief, I would encourage readers to view the presentation video (available at http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=bsv8K7DdJFY). As you will see, the seminar was informal and the discussion was wide ranging. In contrast, this brief focuses on limitations faced by states as they finance longterm care. It is primarily concerned with the Medicaid expansion and growing need for care as the …

Taking Steps To Raise Social Mobility In Singapore, David Chan

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

In a commentary, SMU Behavioural Sciences Institute Director Professor David Chan discussed a holistic approach to increasing social mobility in Singapore. This involves going beyond income inequality, measuring mobility, improving jobs prospects and integrating policies.

Challenges In Implementation Of Ict For The Budget Accountability And Development Of Budget Information Literacy, Rutiana Dwi Wahyunengseh, Sri Hastjarjo

BISNIS & BIROKRASI: Jurnal Ilmu Administrasi dan Organisasi

In the case of Karanganyar Regency, this study identify that al­though the public aspire to have an adequate understanding about the APBD, the access for obtaining the information is very limited. Data collection methods used in this research were: (1) documents study on the Local Government Development Plan (RKPD) and the Regional Budget (APBD); (2) semi open-ended questionnaires; (3) in-depth interviews; and (4) focus group discussions. The data then analyzed using descriptive analysis and interpretive analysis methods. This paper recognizes the potency of ICT in developing the forum for public access and deliberation related to the budget information; while also …

Public Pensions And Debt In The State Of Maine, Ryan Knaus

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

Maine has taken important steps in recent years to reduce indebtedness and adequately fund their Public Employee Pension System (MainePERS), and is well-positioned relative to other U.S. states. The challenge for the State is to continue financing MainePERS and existing UALs with the same commitment, diligence and prudence.

To Walk The Earth In Safety 12th Edition (Fy2012), Us Dos Pm/Wra

Global CWD Repository

In 2013, we celebrate 20 years of U.S. Government agencies working together to lead the international donor community in supporting the clearance of landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW), as well as the destruction of at-risk and unsecured weapons and munitions. The United States first became involved in humanitarian demining in 1988 by sending a team to assess the landmine situation in Afghanistan. In 1993, U.S. assistance took an important step forward when the Department of State (DOS), Department of Defense (DOD), and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) formed an interagency partnership to coordinate U.S. humanitarian demining …

Gender And Marital Status Differences In Retirement Planning, Maximiliane E. Szinovacz, Gerontology Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Gerontology Institute Publications

During the past decades, women have increasingly joined the labor force and worked in their later years. Yet women, especially married women, often have shorter work histories than their male counterparts due to taking time off for child care or care for ailing relatives. Are they also different in their retirement expectations? To answer this question, we explore gender and marital status differences in retirement plans.

Coalition For Prisoners' Rights Newsletter, Vol 38-Ee, No. 8, Coalition For Prisoners' Rights

Coalition for Prisoners' Rights Newsletters

Population Reduction Implementation Reordered

More Inadequate Health Care

In CA, The Five Core Demands-PHSS

Crime of the Month

Eric Holder Descarta la Pena de Muerte Contra Edward Snowden

Emile Griffith

Vulnerability to Marijuana Arrests

Calibration Of Microscopic Traffic Flow Models Considering All Parameters Simultaneously, Victor Hugo Molano Paz

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study proposes a methodology to calibrate microscopic traffic flow simulation models. The proposed methodology has the capability to calibrate simultaneously all the calibration parameters as well as demand patterns for any network topology. These parameters include global and local parameters as well as driver behavior and vehicle performance parameters; all based on multiple performance measures, such as link counts and speeds. Demand patterns are included in the calibration framework in terms of turning volumes.

A Simultaneous Perturbation Stochastic Approximation (SPSA) algorithm is proposed to search for the vector of the model‟s parameters that minimizes the difference between actual and …

Testing Orthodox Utilitarian And Extrajudical Determinants Of Incarceration In The U.S. At The State-Level, 1980-2005, Pavel V. Vasiliev

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This project is a theory-driven secondary data analysis of state-level incarceration trends in the U.S. between 1980 and 2005. I replicate and advance Smith's (2004) study of the relationship between the socioeconomic, demographic, political, electoral, and criminal justice factors and incarceration rates at the state level. The purpose of this project is to determine the empirical validity of the major explanations of the incarceration trends in the U.S. I advance Smith's (2004) study using important novel elements. First, I extend the scrutinized historic period by a decade by compiling time-series data for 1980-2005. Second, I employ a more sophisticated analytic …

An End To End V.M.T Framework With Controlled V.M.T Tax Rate Using Optimal Feedback Control Technique, Pratik Verma

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Vehicle Mile Travel (VMT) is a study related to available alternatives for the road

revenue collection system. As per the demand, the existing Gas/Fuel tax based revenue

collection system is not found an appropriate option in the longer run. Due

to existing system constraints like: no eective tax process for vehicles based on alternative

fuel (e.g. electric vehicles), no eective changes in tax due to economical

ination, and more highway expenditure than generated revenue, an alternative revenue

collection mechanism is required. Hence, the objective is to study an alternative

option in detail, which can address the gaps between required revenue …

Development And Execution Of Coaching Philosophies Among Competitive Youth Sport Coaches, Evan Schreiner

All Theses

Coaching in the field of youth sports consists of many different approaches and philosophies. While some, when executed correctly, work well at keeping youth engaged and competing at a high level, there are other philosophies that are not implemented correctly at that high performance level. Past experiences have made coaches examine their philosophies in a different way or even change their perspective altogether. Although there are many different coaching styles and beliefs, little is known about how the philosophies of youth coaches are executed. This research is intended to define the core elements in a coaching philosophy, and determine how …

An Examination Of Service Quality And Satisfaction In A Religious Tourism Setting, Mohamed Darfoon

All Dissertations

Since the beginning of time, people have traveled far and wide seeking to gain affirmation of their faith, and to honor the lands where their religious beliefs originated. Faith tourism, or religious tourism, is a pilgrimage that is exclusively or strongly motivated by religious reasons. The pilgrimage to Mecca, known as Hajj, is an Islamic pilgrimage where Muslims travel to Mecca in Saudi Arabia to attend one of the largest religious events in the world, with participation from about 3 million people on certain days every year. Despite its spiritual and economic importance, little attention has been paid to Hajj …

Automation Of Common Building Energy Simulation Workflows Using Python, Clayton Miller, Christian Hersberger, Marcus Jones

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

A valuable skillset for building industry professionals is proficiency in high-level, scripting languages that can automate and perform many common repetitive or technically intensive tasks. This application-focused paper emphasizes the use of the Python programming language in various workflows common to the building performance modeling and simulation process. Python is an open, powerful, and easy-to-learn scripting language with an emphasis on programmer productivity. While the highlighted applications themselves are notably ordinary amongst building simulation practitioners, the novelty of this discussion is in the speed and usefulness of new Python libraries and data analysis techniques. Four short examples are illustrated: simulation …

Why Do Similar Provinces Approach Development Differently? An Approach To Understanding Central-Local Relations In China, John A. Donaldson

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

As China decentralized in the 1980s, many provinces received the latitude to implement their own strategies and approaches to economic development. Not surprisingly, such strategies varied regionally as provinces with different levels of wealth and resources implemented different approaches to achieving economic development. Yet, some of these examples are quite puzzling, with provinces that share many similarities implementing markedly different strategies. Moreover, some provinces not only implemented different approaches to economic development, but adopted entirely different goals – interpreting the very definition of economic development differently. To explain these differences, China scholars have focused on different factors, including constraints and …

Which Policy First? A Network-Centric Approach For The Analysis And Ranking Of Policy Measures, Araz Taeihagh, Moshe Givoni, Rene Bañares-Alcántara

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

In addressing various policy problems, deciding which policy measure to start with given the range of measures available is challenging and essentially involves a process of ranking the alternatives, commonly done using multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) techniques. In this paper a new methodology for analysis and ranking of policy measures is introduced which combines network analysis and MCDA tools. This methodology not only considers the internal properties of the measures but also their interactions with other potential measures. Consideration of such interactions provides additional insights into the process of policy formulation and can help domain experts and policy makers to …

Scalable Randomized Patrolling For Securing Rapid Transit Networks, Pradeep Varakantham, Hoong Chuin Lau, Zhi Yuan

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Mass Rapid Transit using rail is a popular mode of transport employed by millions of people in many urban cities across the world. Typically, these networks are massive, used by many and thus, can be a soft target for criminals. In this paper, we consider the problem of scheduling randomised patrols for improving security of such rail networks. Similar to existing work in randomised patrols for protecting critical infrastructure, we also employ Stackelberg Games to represent the problem. In solving the Stackelberg games for massive rail networks, we make two key contributions. Firstly, we provide an approach called RaPtoR for …

Best Upgrade Plans For Large Road Networks, Yimin Lin, Kyriakos Mouratidis

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

In this paper, we consider a new problem in the context of road network databases, named Resource Constrained Best Upgrade Plan computation (BUP, for short). Consider a transportation network (weighted graph) G where a subset of the edges are upgradable, i.e., for each such edge there is a cost, which if spent, the weight of the edge can be reduced to a specific new value. Given a source and a destination in G, and a budget (resource constraint) B, the BUP problem is to identify which upgradable edges should be upgraded so that the shortest path distance between source and …

Sustainability Is Key, David Chan

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

In a commentary on the Prime Minister's National Day Rally, SMU Behavioural Sciences Institute Director Professor David Chan highlighted that sustainability is key to the nation-building social policies in the areas of housing, health and education. He discussed the need for economic and manpower agencies to have key performance indicators that are aligned with the intended outcomes of the social policies. He also noted the importance of having adequate social indicators that adequately measure key social outcomes and impact. He concluded with a call for policy coherence and sustainability to prevent polarising and alienating people.

At The Threshold Of A New Singapore, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

In a commentary, SMU Associate Professor of Law and NMP Eugene Tan shared his views on Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's National Day Rally Speech. He noted that PM Lee had outlined a vision for Singapore that epitomised opportunity, hope, fairness and social solidarity. This, marked a new direction in governance, and would form the basis of a strategic reconceptualisation of Singapore's future and how we would get there. Associate Prof Tan noted that with the call for a fundamental relook of policies, Singapore Inc's hedonistic treadmill, with its emphasis on economic values, affluence and consumption, must now compete for …

2013 August, Office Of Communications & Marketing, Morehead State University.

Morehead State Press Release Archive, 1961 to the Present

Press releases for August of 2013.

Interest Group Scorecards And Legislative Satisfaction: Using Ratings To Explore The Private Bias In Public Policy, Daniel E. Chand

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite their importance to our system, the study of interest groups has produced few concrete findings compared to other actors such as administrative agencies and political parties in the policymaking process. The absence of generalizable findings is partly explained by the unpopularity of the topic, but is primarily due to a deficiency of easily accessible data and lack of agreement over how to operationalize important concepts. In the following dissertation, I employ interest group "scorecards" (ratings of members of Congress) as an approach to examining interest groups in a generalizable manner. Specifically, I use scorecards to test the pluralist assumptions …

The Academic Impacts Of Attending A Kipp Charter School In Arkansas, Caleb P. Rose

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

KIPP Delta College Preparatory School (KIPP: DCPS), an open-enrollment charter school, opened in 2002 in Helena, Arkansas. Since its opening, KIPP: DCPS students have consistently outperformed their peers in the Helena/West Helena School district, and moreover, recent test scores suggest that white students and minority students are achieving at the same rate, essentially eliminating the achievement gap that persists between whites and minorities elsewhere in the state. In fact, KIPP's achievement record was so influential that when Arkansas lawmakers instituted a cap on the number of open-enrollment charter schools in the state, they made an exception for KIPP, essentially allowing …

The Formalities Of Informal Urbanism: Technical And Scholarly Knowledge At Work In Do-It‐Yourself Urban Design, Gordon Douglas

Faculty Publications, Urban and Regional Planning

Among the numerous ways people make illegal or unauthorized alterations to urban space, of particular interest in recent years have been the creative, local, and often anonymous efforts at informal but functional “improvement” to the built environment where the state or property owners have failed to act – practices I call “do-it-yourself urban design.” Authorities, planners, and community members alike rightfully wonder about the meanings of these actions, and the questions they raise about rights, responsibilities, benefits, and consequences. Building from alarger qualitative study on DIY urban design across eleven cities, this paper focuses on the motivations, methods, and self-perceptions …

Visitor Comments About Montana: 2012 Nonresident Survey, Norma Nickerson, Ashley Napier, Doris Cooley

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

This report provdes an analysis of comments written by nonresident visitors to Montana in 2012. Eight general themes emerged from the comments. Nonresident visitors generally love Montana. Their experiences were positive, they enjoyed the scenery, open space, the friendly people, and they want to return. Full listing of all comments are provided in the appendix.

Trail Rail Run: 2013, Christine Oschell

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

The purpose of this study was to provide the organizers of the inaugural Trail Rail Run with an understanding of their race participants and the money they spent in the local community of St. Regis. The Trail Rail Run course utilized old railroad grades from both the Northern Pacific Railroad and the Milwaukee Railroad.

Can State And Local Revenue And Expenditure Enhance Economic Growth? A Cross-State Panel Study Of Fiscal Activity, Christopher Arthur Clarke

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The slow economic recovery since the 2008 financial crisis and Great Recession requires state and local governments to continue to make difficult decisions concerning which taxes to raise and which expenditures to decrease in order to maintain a balanced budget. As expenditures usually raise economic growth and taxes generally hinder it, seeking the optimum combination of tax structures and expenditure options is necessary to encourage prosperity in a state. In this paper I study the effects of various expenditures and revenue combinations on growth in state personal income from 1977-2010 for 49 states and the District of Columbia. I find …

An Historical Archaeological Investigation Of The Indianola Prisoner Of War Camp In Southwestern Nebraska, Allison Marie Young

Department of Anthropology: Theses and Student Research

Second World War military operations resulted in the capture of thousands of prisoners of war. This led to the creation of internment facilities by both the Axis and the Allies. Archaeologists have begun to examine these facilities. The United States government established a POW program with numerous camps all over the country. This study provides the results of historical archaeological research at the Indianola prisoner of war camp in southwestern Nebraska. A goal of this research is to determine if the archaeological record reflects adherence to the Geneva Convention of 1929. The investigation included archival research and archaeological fieldwork with …