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Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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Full-Text Articles in Public Policy

Recidivism Differences And Measures Of Predictability For Federally Convicted Child Pornographers, Ricardo J. Rodriguez Jan 2019

Recidivism Differences And Measures Of Predictability For Federally Convicted Child Pornographers, Ricardo J. Rodriguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a gap in research on the effectiveness of mandatory-minimum sentences on the recidivism rates of federal child pornography offenders, resulting in policy that may be ineffective and costly. Relevant research can further understanding of criminogenic behavior that results in the exploitation of children and aid future policy making decisions. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to better understand the relationship between federal sentencing and federal child pornographer recidivism. Central to this study is the research question of whether there exists a statistically significant difference between the likelihood of recidivism in 2 child pornographer cohorts that receive different …


Potential Solar Consumers' Understanding Of Energy Policy Development In Hawai‘I, Kristin Li Mcgill Jan 2019

Potential Solar Consumers' Understanding Of Energy Policy Development In Hawai‘I, Kristin Li Mcgill

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hawai‘i has implemented renewable energy goals that assume continued investments by solar consumers who seem unaware of their role in the policy's success. Without the renewable resource generation that will come from these investments, the state will be unable to achieve its energy mandate. Using Sabatier and Jenkins-Smith's advocacy coalition framework and Ajzen's theory of planned behavior as the foundation, the purpose of this study was to better understand the perspectives of potential solar consumers on the Island of O‘ahu regarding the state's renewable portfolio standards, their level of knowledge regarding consumer impact on this policy, and their perceptions of …


Patients' Perceptions Of Quality Of Life And Resource Availability After Critical Illness, Michelle Mcmoon Jan 2019

Patients' Perceptions Of Quality Of Life And Resource Availability After Critical Illness, Michelle Mcmoon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Physical, psychological, and social debilities are common among survivors of critical illness. Survivors of critical illness require rehabilitative services during recovery in order to return to functional independence, but the structure and access of such services remains unclear. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the vital issues affecting quality of life from the perspective of critical illness survivors and to understand these patients' experiences with rehabilitative services in the United States. The theoretical framework guiding this study was Weber's rational choice theory, and a phenomenological study design was employed. The research questions focused on the survivors' experiences …


Elder Abuse In Illinois: A Two–Pronged Approach To Assessing The State's Response, Angelique Marie Pass Jan 2019

Elder Abuse In Illinois: A Two–Pronged Approach To Assessing The State's Response, Angelique Marie Pass

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Adult Protective Services Program is tasked with enforcing the standards and policies created at the federal level relating to how provider agencies should respond to elder abuse. What has yet to be explored is whether the Adult Protective Services Program is efficiently responding to the issue of elder abuse through its monitoring and evaluation protocols, which are based on the current policies. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of the 13 planning and service areas in their response to elder abuse. The response to elder abuse is guided by the current policies and funding strategies …


Influence Of Educational Equity Policies On High School Graduation Rates For Black Students, Vincent Kiriza Chirimwami Jan 2019

Influence Of Educational Equity Policies On High School Graduation Rates For Black Students, Vincent Kiriza Chirimwami

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The achievement gaps between White and Black students remain prevalent in American public schools. To resolve the problem, many school districts have developed equity-centered practices to improve high school graduation rates. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine whether the (a) duration of exposure to educational equity policies, (b) percentage of economically disadvantaged students, (c) percentage of students with disabilities, and (d) percentage of limited-English-proficient (LEP) students are predictive of high school graduation rates for Black students in large school districts. This study was grounded in Schneider and Ingram’s social construction of target populations theory. Archival data of …


Effects Of Herzberg's Hygiene Factors On Fire Department Paramedics, Christine Elizabeth Peterson Jan 2019

Effects Of Herzberg's Hygiene Factors On Fire Department Paramedics, Christine Elizabeth Peterson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The decline in the number of lead paramedics at an Indiana fire department has stressed the local emergency medical system (EMS), jeopardized public safety, accelerated personnel burnout, and increased overtime expense. Using Herzberg’s motivation hygiene theory as a guiding lens, this phenomenological study explored the effects of the Indiana fire department’s policies related to lead paramedic job satisfaction. The purpose of this study was to investigate possible hygiene factors, relabeled as workplace satisfaction factors, which led to a decrease in the number of lead paramedics within EMS from 2007–2017. The reduction in lead paramedic numbers led to unanticipated and unbudgeted …


The Effects Of Maternal Incarceration On Juvenile Delinquency, Sherri Trice Jan 2019

The Effects Of Maternal Incarceration On Juvenile Delinquency, Sherri Trice

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Increasing rates of maternal incarceration are potentially linked to development of delinquency in the children of these mothers. Current literature points to the intergenerational transmission of criminality that may result in future low socioeconomic status and unemployment for children of incarcerated mothers, yet little of this literature addresses the link between maternal incarceration and juvenile delinquency. Using attachment theory as the foundation, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to assess correlation between maternal incarceration and juvenile delinquency, as well as investigate the mediating role of child gender, race, current relationship with the primary caregiver, and disciplinary environment. The …


The Impact Of Parental Incarceration: Adults Reflect On Their Juvenile Years, Carolyn Eugenia Allen Jan 2019

The Impact Of Parental Incarceration: Adults Reflect On Their Juvenile Years, Carolyn Eugenia Allen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

For many American families, incarceration has become a way of life. Per the National Resource Center on Children and Families of the Incarcerated, there are more than 2.7 million children who have a parent in prison and some may have one or both in county jail. There are psychological implications in terms of the child's well-being, behavioral, academic, and emotional outcomes, and family-level processes. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to describe the impact that a parent's incarceration has on a child even through adulthood. The research question examined how a parent's incarceration impacts the future of the …


Fire Training Fatalities And Firefighter Adherence To National Fire Protection Association Standards, Lucas Aaron Garcia Jan 2019

Fire Training Fatalities And Firefighter Adherence To National Fire Protection Association Standards, Lucas Aaron Garcia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sudden cardiac arrest continues to be a major cause of firefighter deaths during training due to a lack of individual firefighter adherence to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards. These standards identify requirements for fire departments to create and maintain fitness programs. Existing research has not identified any relationships between training fatalities and individual firefighter adherence to NFPA 1583, Standard on Health-Related Fitness Programs for Fire Department Members. Using self-determination theory as the foundation, the purpose of this cross-sectional correlation study was to investigate whether individual firefighter adherence to NFPA 1583 has a measurable effect on training fatalities. Survey data …


Perceptions Of Homeland Security Policing In An Urban Midwestern Community, Sukeena Stephens Jan 2019

Perceptions Of Homeland Security Policing In An Urban Midwestern Community, Sukeena Stephens

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since the terrorist attacks on the United States of America on September 11, 2001, approach to policing has observably been shifted across the country. Utilizing a qualitative methodology, this study explored the perceptions of community members from a Chicago, Illinois community regarding the shift in policing style post 9/11. Cooley's theory of the looking glass self, coupled with a phenomenological approach to understand the deeper meaning associated with the perceptions of the residents and the shift in policing styles in Chicago communities. The data were obtained from participants who were at least 40 years old and held a residence for …


Redefining Protection Intervention In Humanitarian Aid Through External Factors: A Case Study Of Niger, Valerie Svobodova Jan 2019

Redefining Protection Intervention In Humanitarian Aid Through External Factors: A Case Study Of Niger, Valerie Svobodova

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The magnitude of internal displacement worldwide is growing every year and represents a tripling of the existing number of refugees worldwide. Internally displaced persons have specific vulnerabilities and the system of assistance to them needs to be adapted and revised. The purpose of this case study was to identify external factors that influence protection interventions for internally displaced persons in humanitarian response. Using Benet's Polarities of Democracy theory and the Theory of Change Conceptual Framework as a framework, the study sought to identify key external factors influencing protection intervention in humanitarian aid settings. Data for this study was gathered through …


Career Ascension Of African-American Men In The Army Warrant Officer Corps, James Joseph Williams Jan 2019

Career Ascension Of African-American Men In The Army Warrant Officer Corps, James Joseph Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The military and scholars assert that the military has created an organization that is based on merit. However, statistics show that African American military men are more likely to be subjected to the military's justice system, they are less likely to promote to the most senior enlisted and officer ranks, they are more likely to receive a negative discharge, and they are disproportionately represented on the military's death row. Despite these assertions, many African-American men succeed within the military structure. Therefore, this qualitative study was conducted to examine the stories of senior field grade warrant officer African American men to …


Crisis Communication Systems Among K-12 School Principals, Tomicka Nicole Williams Jan 2019

Crisis Communication Systems Among K-12 School Principals, Tomicka Nicole Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Crisis communication systems (CCS) in educational settings have been challenged by mass casualty events including shootings, natural disasters, and health outbreaks in the United States. The U.S. federal government and the U.S. Department of Education have created safety and security instructions to manage these complex and diverse security issues, yet they do not address the role of school leaders within a CCS. Using complex adaptive systems as the theoretical construct, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine CCSs utilized by school leaders within a single public school district in the United States. The research questions are focused …


Racial Socialization And Fear Of Crime In Stand Your Ground Laws, Anna Nicole Douglas Jan 2019

Racial Socialization And Fear Of Crime In Stand Your Ground Laws, Anna Nicole Douglas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2005, Florida enacted the Justifiable Use of Deadly Force legislation, known as Stand Your Ground (SYG) laws, in response to the Workman case. The aftermath of that case led to the expansion of the laws that removed the duty to retreat principle and allowed citizens to employ deadly force when imbued with fear. The SYG laws as written appeared to imply state-sanctioned violence, with an increase in homicides, coupled with racial disparities. This study employed a quantitative inquiry with a causal-comparative design to explore whether a relationship existed between racial socialization and fear of crime in SYG states compared …


Stakeholder Effects On Shaping Public Policy In Stormwater Management, Galates Sera Jan 2019

Stakeholder Effects On Shaping Public Policy In Stormwater Management, Galates Sera

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Washington, DC, historical data are used to adequately size for rainfall events, and efforts to increase stormwater management requirements are fought against by internal stakeholders. In urban planning, extreme rainfall events, that may occur more frequently than expected, are often not a consideration when designing for green infrastructure facilities. The purpose of this case study was to explore how internal and external stakeholders influence stormwater management policies related to extreme rainfall events in Washington, DC. The power and politics organization theory, which focuses on how individuals obtain influence, and the resource dependency theory, which explores how organizations benefit from …


The Shortage Of Licensed Social Workers In Central Florida, Helen M. Burrows Jan 2019

The Shortage Of Licensed Social Workers In Central Florida, Helen M. Burrows

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

For several decades, a national shortage of licensed clinical social workers has been growing in the United States. Licensed social workers provide counsel and advocacy for those affected by mental illness, addiction, abuse, and discrimination, among other economic difficulties, and are the largest group of providers of mental and behavioral health services. The research questions for this project addressed what challenges unlicensed social workers in central Florida identify as barriers to pursuing clinical licensure. This study also explored strategies that unlicensed social workers in central Florida reported to address these barriers and encourage the pursuit of clinical licensure. The purpose …


How Childcare Type And Disaster Recovery Funding Type Impact Childcare Recovery, Heather L. Beal Jan 2019

How Childcare Type And Disaster Recovery Funding Type Impact Childcare Recovery, Heather L. Beal

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Childcare is critical community infrastructure, yet it is typically not eligible for recovery assistance postdisaster. The effect of disaster on children has been extensively studied and research indicates that the return to normalcy (e.g., through restoration of childcare programs) helps aid recovery. Despite this, little research has been conducted on how childcare programs recover. The purpose of this research was to investigate how the recovery times for childcare programs affected by Superstorm Sandy varied based on childcare typology and the recovery funding resources used. A quasi-experimental research design was selected and data from 76 surveys was evaluated using one-way and …


National Strategy Against Narcotics, Drug Control Policy, And Law Enforcement Experiences In Kosovo, Ferid Azemi Jan 2019

National Strategy Against Narcotics, Drug Control Policy, And Law Enforcement Experiences In Kosovo, Ferid Azemi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This research is focused on evaluation of National Strategy Against Narcotics (NSAN) enacted in 2012 in Kosovo. The purpose of this study was to understand the impact of NSAN through visualizing data and gaining deeper insight from experiences of antidrug experts. Convergent parallel mixed methods were used to answer the main research questions. The central research questions examined the impact of strategy implementation in juvenile drug arrest reduction, and its effectiveness on Kosovo criminal justice system. Markwood's comprehensive theory of substance abuse prevention (CTSAP) was used to assess and explore the NSAN. Deidentified juvenile arrest rates taken from Kosovo official …


Exploring Leader Development Experiences To Inform Department Of Defense Leader Development Policy, Glenn J. Butler Jan 2019

Exploring Leader Development Experiences To Inform Department Of Defense Leader Development Policy, Glenn J. Butler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although there are several robust leader development programs in the U.S. Army, no standardized access to leader development is provided to all service members at the start of their career. Forty-four percent of the Department of Defense (DoD) active duty personnel are 25 years of age or less. Despite this known experience gap, there is a shortfall in policy that ensures standardized access to leader development during this foundational period. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the experiences of service members who participated in the United States Army Pacific's Regional Leader Development Program-Pacific (RLDP-P) to inform DoD …


The Impact Of Congressional Attention And Policy Mood On Public Health Funding, Evelyn Denise Dunn Jan 2019

The Impact Of Congressional Attention And Policy Mood On Public Health Funding, Evelyn Denise Dunn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Congressional appropriations for federal public health agencies are subjected to external factors throughout the congressional appropriations process, resulting in fluctuations in funding. Recent literature has focused on externals factors, such as political attention and public attitudes, that could influence government funding levels; however, the impact of these factors on federal public health funding was not addressed. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a relationship exists between these external factors and federal public health appropriations. A quantitative study was used to examine congressional attention, policy mood, and the influence on the change in the level of federal public …


Patient Satisfaction With Nursing Care Related To Hospital Magnet Designation, Sharon Haylett Jan 2019

Patient Satisfaction With Nursing Care Related To Hospital Magnet Designation, Sharon Haylett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many U.S. hospitals have historically failed to recognize nursing as essential to quality of care. Given the relationship between the patients' experiences, measured by the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS), and government reimbursement, stakeholders now value the role of nurses in the care experience. Some hospitals have pursued Magnet designation, which is a rigorous and costly process, in order to promote patient satisfaction through nurse autonomy and retention. The purpose of this study was to understand whether non-Magnet hospitals received similar HCAHPS scores. Expectancy disconfirmation theory provides a framework to understand the components of patient satisfaction …


Funding And Allocation In School Districts Educating Children With Impact Aid, Jamee M. Lynch-Moore Jan 2019

Funding And Allocation In School Districts Educating Children With Impact Aid, Jamee M. Lynch-Moore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Budgeting and allocation decisions made by school districts have a direct impact on education in local communities. Little, however, is known about budgetary allocation and decision-making practices involving federal Impact Aid received by military-connected districts as no national guidelines exist to guide the allocation of this funding source. Using Sielke's garbage can decision model as the foundation, the purpose of this multiple case study of 5 school districts located throughout the United States was to explore how school districts use Impact Aid to achieve educational adequateness for military-connected children. Research questions focused on how school districts make budgetary decisions in …


Antibullying Definition, Policy, Surveillance, Education, And Training In The Healthcare Field, Adlene Jones Mcelroy Jan 2019

Antibullying Definition, Policy, Surveillance, Education, And Training In The Healthcare Field, Adlene Jones Mcelroy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Workplace bullying in the healthcare field has contributed to decreasing productivity, decreasing employee morale, increasing workplace lawsuits, overall dissatisfaction in the workplace, and potentially compromising care to patients. Little, however, is known about how public policies related to workplace bullying impact the experiences of healthcare workers. Using Cornell and Limber's conceptualization of bullying, the purpose of this general qualitative study was to better understand the experiences of healthcare leaders and workers related to workplace bullying of a single health care facility. Data were principally collected from 9 participants representing three organizational leaders, three nurses, and three ancillary members staff. These …


Community Engagement And Diverse Representation In Planning For An Immigrant Neighborhood In A U. S. Pacific Northwest City, Christopher Amba Ndifon Jan 2019

Community Engagement And Diverse Representation In Planning For An Immigrant Neighborhood In A U. S. Pacific Northwest City, Christopher Amba Ndifon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Traditional avenues of influencing planning decisions are not intuitive for diverse, historically underrepresented community residents in many neighborhoods and many immigrant residents come from societies where engaging in public discourse is discouraged or dangerous. The focus of this study, the Planning Outreach and Engagement Liaison (POEL) program, was designed to address these discrepancies, yet whether the program was successful is unknown. Using participatory democracy as the theoretical framework, the purpose of this case study was to explore whether the POEL program brought diverse residents together to participate in the neighborhood planning process. Data were collected through semi structured interviews with …


The Regulatory Transformation In Using Medicinal Cannabis To Treat Disease In The United States, Kevin Rubin Jan 2019

The Regulatory Transformation In Using Medicinal Cannabis To Treat Disease In The United States, Kevin Rubin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Therapeutic benefits of medicinal cannabis are well documented in the treatment of a variety of medical conditions. There is not, however, a nationally consistent delivery system, which has prevented many patients from realizing these benefits. Using policy feedback theory as the foundation, the purpose of this general qualitative study was to better understand how state-level regulatory efforts in medicinal cannabis may provide guidance on formulating national public policies that are beneficial to patients. This study compared 3 core tenets of NORML, an authority in the cannabis industry, against the policies of 3 states with exemplary state medical cannabis programs. The …


Influence Of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Policy On Army Families' Food Insecurity, Kathleen Anne Van Voorhis Jan 2019

Influence Of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Policy On Army Families' Food Insecurity, Kathleen Anne Van Voorhis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Food insecurity (not having continuing access to nutritious food to maintain health) is common in the United States, especially in working poor households. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a well-documented safety net for individuals and families struggling with food insecurity. Little is known about the effect of SNAP policy on food insecurity in working poor military households. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to investigate the lived experiences of food-insecure Army families and the perceived influence of SNAP policy on their food-insecurity. The theoretical framework was policy feedback theory. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with …


Use Of Force: Perception Of Racial Minorities And Police Officers In Southeastern United States, William Henry Riter, Jr. Jan 2019

Use Of Force: Perception Of Racial Minorities And Police Officers In Southeastern United States, William Henry Riter, Jr.

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The amount of force used by law enforcement officers has become a highly-charged topic, especially among racial minority citizens and the law enforcement community. While the use of force by police officers is permitted by law enforcement agencies and expected by citizens, the amount and type of force used can trigger or cause problems, such as distrust or loss of confidence for the police agency, if the public perceives the force to be unjustified. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the use of force by police officers and how to improve the relationship between racial minority citizens …


Social Construction, Policy Design, And Program Efficacy In The U.S. Navy's Family Readiness Group Program, Linda Tsubaki Jan 2019

Social Construction, Policy Design, And Program Efficacy In The U.S. Navy's Family Readiness Group Program, Linda Tsubaki

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

It was unclear what the actual role of the Family Readiness Group (FRG) was in helping the spouses of U.S. Navy submariners (SMSs) in learning to live the submariner-family lifestyle. Submarines deploy in regular cycles regardless of world conflict. Submariners and their spouses are isolated from each other during deployments, communities of submariner spouses are smaller than other Navy communities, and spouses must acquire unique social capital to manage unique challenges. The purpose of this study was to explore how SMSs experience or perceive the FRG role in their social construction and adaptation to the SMS lifestyle. The examination was …


Late Adolescent Mothers' Homelessness And Pregnancy Experiences While Living In Transitional Housing, Beverly Vendryes Jan 2019

Late Adolescent Mothers' Homelessness And Pregnancy Experiences While Living In Transitional Housing, Beverly Vendryes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The numbers of homeless adolescent mothers have been increasing over the past decade. Previous studies have focused on homeless individuals, but no studies examined late adolescent mothers' homelessness and pregnancy experiences while living in transitional housing. Using a phenomenological methodology, this study explored the lived experiences of 7 adolescent mothers, 18 to 24 years old, who were homeless, pregnant, and living in transitional housing. The social construction of reality theory provided the framework and interpretive lens for this study. Social networking and snowball sampling were used for participant recruitment. Through in-depth interviews, data coding and analyses were conducted to identify …


Political Control And Accountability In Ethiopian Rulemaking, Esayas Kassa Araya Jan 2019

Political Control And Accountability In Ethiopian Rulemaking, Esayas Kassa Araya

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Administrative rules have played a central role in Ethiopian public administration since 1994 when the current constitution was adopted. However, if the formulation and implementation of the rules are not politically controlled, and proper accountability is not applied, these same rules could become threats instead of assurances of the rule of law and order. This case study explored what strategic controls and accountability measures are in place to regulate the rulemaking process. To inform the study, the political control of bureaucracy framework in general and the principal-agency model, in particular, were used. The central research question focused on strategies that …