Public Policy Commons^™

The Influences On And Impact Of Economic And Community Development Policies In A Micropolitan City, Anna M. Kautzman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As the U.S. economy changed from industry to information, small cities suffered a decline in quality of life and an increase in poverty. The existing research has focused on demographics and descriptive attributes of micropolitan cities, but not on efforts to overcome these challenges. The purpose of this study was to explore and understand how a micropolitan city used economic and community development policies to rebuild its economy and improve quality of life. Using Holland's conceptualization of complex adaptive systems, research questions focused on triggers for policy creation and its use to create social change by improving the local economy …

Relationship Between Victims Of Urban Violence And Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Jashon Anthony Banks Sr.

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Urban violence has become common in lower-income communities that have high rates of shootings and African-American victims. Urban violence causes victims and their family and friends to experience trauma and puts them at risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) injuries. However, there is a gap in knowledge in the framework of urban communities and their range of needs to address PTSD. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine whether a relationship exists between reinforcement of needs, membership, influence, shared emotional connection, and post-traumatic stress symptomology (PTSS) of urban violence victims in a large metropolitan city. Albert Bandura's self-efficacy …

Predictors Of Conviction: An Examination Of Arson Trial Outcomes In Florida, Timothy York

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The influences that crime control, due process factors, and individual demographic characteristics have on the criminal trial outcomes of accused arsonists was unknown. Absent this knowledge, it was not clear if public policy ensures justice for the accused, particularly for the disadvantaged. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to investigate, using Packer's due process and crime control model as the theoretical framework, the relationship between time to trial, number of defense and prosecution witnesses, access to fire origin and cause experts, legal representation type, age, race, education, and gender and criminal arson case outcomes. A sample size of 165 …

The Green March Movement: Fighting Political Corruption In The Dominican Republic, Juan A. Rodriguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social movements have increased as a way of supporting groups in their protests. This study addressed what factors led to the mobilization of the Green March movement in its fight against political corruption and impunity in the Dominican Republic. The purpose of this case study was to explore the Green March movement's actions by using Meyer's conceptualization of political opportunity theory. The research questions addressed what factors led to the mobilization of the Green March movement and what strategies and tactics were used. The research design was a qualitative, instrumental case study and data were collected through interviews with 12 …

A Policy Feedback Theory Approach To Food Assistance Program Distribution Mechanisms, Ahmad Sabbagh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many families that experience hunger in the United States rely on Food Assistance Programs to meet their daily nutrition needs. However, these programs do not always meet the needs of these individuals, as has been the case for individuals living under higher than expected levels of poverty in the Great Lakes region of the United States. Using policy feedback theory (PFT), the purpose of this case study was to explore the experiences of individuals from a county in the Great Lakes region of the United States, who depend on the federal Food Assistance Program, with particular attention given to evaluate …

When Politics Rule Policy: The Role Of Discursive Politics In Wisconsin's Photo Identification Law, Rachel Matthews

Scripps Senior Theses

Few policies carry more controversy than voter photo identification requirements. First passed in 2003, these laws require voters to present government-issued ID’s, such as a driver’s license, state identification card, military ID, or qualifying student ID. This paper examines the discursive politics in Wisconsin’s photo ID, seeking to understand how state policymakers justified the law against accusations of voter suppression. Put broadly, this paper seeks to understand the intersection of politics and policy, exploring how irrational policies are formed, implemented, and evaluated.

Policymaking And Paid Family Leave: Revitalizing The Family Medical Leave Act Of 1993, Jasmeer Basi

Doctoral Dissertations

The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) applies to all public agencies, public schools, private elementary schools, and companies with 50 or more employees. It is designed to help employees balance their work and family responsibilities by allowing them to take unpaid leave for certain family and medical reasons. Employees are eligible for leave if they have worked for their employer at least 12 months, at least 1,250 hours over the past 12 months, and work at a location where the company employs 50 or more employees within 75 miles. However, the FMLA has proven to be ineffective in meeting the …

Solidarity In Action: Norwegian People's Aid Annual Report 2018, Npa

Global CWD Repository

Norwegian People’s Aid is the labour movement’s humanitarian organisation for solidarity. Norwegian People’s Aid works both nationally and internationally to improve the living conditions of vulnerable groups and to contribute to a fairer society. Norwegian People’s Aid is a membership organisation with 4 main priority areas:

(a) First aid and rescue services (b) Social inclusion work and work with refugees

(c) Work with mines and explosives (d) Long-term development and humanitarian cooperation

This work is organised in two core areas:

• Protection of life and health

• Fair distribution of power and resources

A large part of our activities in …

Shared Interest: How Usaid Enhances U.S. Economic Growth, United States Agency For International Development

Global CWD Repository

The primary objective of United States Government (USG) foreign assistance is to promote U.S. and international security and prosperity by bolstering economic and political stability and self-reliance in developing countries. There is no doubt that investing in global development progress is vital to U.S. national security. However, USG foreign assistance through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) also benefits the U.S. economy and U.S. workers. As one of the most internationally competitive economies in the world, the U.S. is a major exporter of goods and services, and our exports are in demand the world over. As countries get richer, …

Apopo Annual Report 2018, Apopo

Global CWD Repository

APOPO is a non-profit organization with roots in Belgium. For 20 years we have trained African giant pouched rats to detect landmines and tuberculosis around the world. APOPO trains the ‘HeroRATs’ using positive reinforcement – they receive tasty treats when they identify a target scent. HeroRATs are at the core of the organization and this is reflected in the way we protect them and provide loving care and attention.

The main hub of the organization, the Training and R&D center, is located in Tanzania, where all the HeroRATs are trained before being sent to global operations. This is where all …

Itf Enhancing Human Security Annual Report 2018, Itf-Enhancy Human Security

Global CWD Repository

The goal of the Mine Ban Treaty (1997) can’t be clearer: a landmine free world and a safe environment for generations to come. But more than two decades after international community agreed to firm norms and objectives that were achieved through the Ottawa Treaty process, landmines and other explosive remnants of war still indiscriminately impact human victims, often years and decades after the end of armed conflicts. As of November 2018, sixty states and areas remain contaminated by antipersonnel mines, with worrying numbers of civilian casualties, especially children.

Everyday life near contaminated areas is harsh and uncertain. People often knowingly …

Why And How All States Should Join The Convention On Cluster Munitions, Icbl-Cmc

Global CWD Repository

The Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) was established to put an end for all time to the suffering and casualties caused by cluster munitions. It is the most significant humanitarian disarmament treaty of the past decade, with far-reaching obligations. It is adhered to by more than half the world. Its entry into force was triggered by 30 ratifications, which were achieved in a very short period of time – just 14 months. So far the Convention has made great progress, with 97% of States Parties’ stockpiles destroyed, and a notable increase in the clearance of cluster munition-affected land and assistance …

Landmine Monitor 2018, Icbl-Cmc

Global CWD Repository

This is the 20th annual Landmine Monitor report. It is the sister publication to the Cluster Munition Monitor report, first published in November 2010. Landmine Monitor 2018 provides a global overview of the landmine situation. Chapters on developments in specific countries and other areas are available in online Country Profiles at www.the-monitor.org/cp.

Landmine Monitor covers mine ban policy, use, production, trade, and stockpiling, and also includes information on contamination, clearance, casualties, victim assistance, and support for mine action. The report focuses on calendar year 2017, with information included up to November 2018 when possible

Eighth Meeting Of States Parties To The Convention On Cluster Munitions (2018), Convention On Cluster Munitions

Global CWD Repository

This entry contains all of the published documents related to the Eighth Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions held in 2018.

Employee Financial Wellness Programs: Differences In Reach By Race And Ethnicity, Sophia R. Fox-Dichter, Mathieu R. Despard, Ellen Frank-Miller, Geraldine Germain

Social Policy Institute Research

Employee Financial Wellness Programs (EF-WPs) consist of a wide array of workplace-based services and benefits that aim to enhance em-ployees’ financial well-being, such as in-person financial coaching, online financial management tools, and payroll advances or short-term loans. EFWP provision varies across employers with few organizations offering the same set of services. The recently released Employee Financial Well-ness Programs Project: Comprehensive Report of Findings notes that EFWP utilization rates and employee self-reported benefits also vary widely. This report continues the examination of varia-tion in EFWP trends by breaking down measures of EFWP reach by employee race and ethnicity. We examine three …

African American Male Ex-Offenders' Perceptions Of A Reentry Program's Impact On Recidivating, Latoya Rochelle Burt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American male ex-offenders struggle with lack of assistance during their transition from incarceration, and they encounter many barriers when released back into the community. The purpose of my general qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of whether the reentry program impacted African American male ex-offenders likelihood of recidivating within one year. The theoretical framework included labeling theory, social disorganization theory, and social learning theory. The population consisted of 60 African American male ex-offenders intake participants of a reentry program that all completed the Client Satisfaction Survey. A purposive random sampling method was used to select ten participants for …

Local Law Enforcement's Ability To Transform Inputs Into Counterterrorism Outputs, Melissa S. Gresham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Leadership within local police organizations should be able to, but do not, process information and create actionable strategies aimed toward proactive counterterrorism practices. This problem could lead to future terrorist attacks within the United States if police agencies do not adjust their tactics in response to growing terrorist threats. A possible cause of this problem is that leadership within local law enforcement agencies is reactive in nature and as a consequence, do not encourage officers to engage in proactive strategies. Using Easton's conceptualization of systems theory as the foundation, the purpose of this case study of a single law enforcement …

The Influence Of School Discipline Approaches On Suspension Rates, Donna Christy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A free and appropriate public education is promised to every child in the United States. However, zero tolerance school discipline policies have broken that promise, pushing students out of the classroom and into the school-to-prison pipeline. Despite the growing body of research demonstrating negative social and economic impacts of exclusionary discipline, public school administrators have been slow to adopt innovative policies that provide rehabilitative alternatives. The purpose of this study was to compare, using the consequences of innovations application of Rogers's diffusion of innovations theory, the impact of various school district approaches to school discipline on suspension rates while controlling …

Reducing Sport-Related Injuries: Perspectives From Nfl High School Coach Of The Year Recipients, Lalisa Anthony

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

American football sport-related injuries have negatively affected millions of high school students' quality of life. Although there are studies about types, conditions, and psychological effects of injuries, a gap remained in the literature that involved injury prevention from the head coach's perspective. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to fill this gap by exploring how head coaches perceive their role and responsibility in reducing sport-related injury occurrences. Sabatier and Weible's advocacy coalition, Diener and Dweck's achievement goal theory, and Fishbein and Ajzen's theory of reasoned action framed this study. The research questions focused on the lived experiences from …

Immigration Attorneys' Perceptions And Attitudes About Delays In Removal Proceeding Hearings, Awa C. Diawara

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Immigration courts in the United Sates are struggling to resolve 610,524 removal

proceedings cases with approximately 330 judges located in 58 immigration courts

nationwide. Due to the limited number of judges, case backlogs have increased steadily,

with the wait time being 854 days in 2017 for the first hearing and much longer for case

resolution. The purpose of this case study was to explore the perceptions and attitudes of

immigration attorneys about delays in removal proceeding hearings in an immigration

court in the southwest. Kettl's transformation of governance theory served as the

theoretical foundation for this study, which explored …