Public Policy Commons^™

Public Policy Design In Georgia Child Support And Fatherhood, Troy Gathers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Child support policy in the United States has been widely studied as a method to ensure financial responsibility; however, existing research has identified concerns regarding enforcement practices and their disproportionate impact on African American noncustodial fathers in Georgia. Limited qualitative research examined how Georgia fathers experience and interprets these policies, creating a gap in understanding how policy implementation influences paternal engagement. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine how African American noncustodial fathers in Georgia perceived the child support process and to explore how modernization of enforcement policies might improve paternal engagement. Guided by policy feedback theory, this …

Effects Of The Historical, Current, Social, And Political Influence Of White Supremacy On The Young, Black Male In Mobile, Alabama, Nicole Moore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has shown the negative effects of White supremacy and its historical influence on societal and political factors in the United States. These negative effects include excessive aggression, hate, and violence toward and degradation of Blacks, Indigenous, and people of color that lead to physical and mental health issues, identity crises, and trauma. However, studies have not examined the specific effects of the influence of White supremacy on the daily life of young adult Black males who have attended community college in Mobile, Alabama. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to identify the perceptions of such Black males …

People Who Moved In The Mountain West, 2024, Anthony Arroyo, Sydney Mitchell, Maisoon Faris, Olivia K. Cheche, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Cities & Metros

This fact sheet presents 2024 data on state and city-level mobility rates across the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. Point2Homes’ “Mobility Rates Reach Record Low: In 2024, Americans Moved Less Than Ever” report provides data on mobility rates within states, as well as the rate of new residents moving into states and cities across the U.S. This fact sheet highlights mobility rates within Mountain West states, the rate of new residents moving into Mountain West states, and the rate of new residents moving into 63 Mountain West cities. This fact sheet also includes national …

Exploring School Administrators' Perceptions Of Zero Tolerance Policies For African American Female Students, Keysha D. Knight

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Zero tolerance policies disproportionately affect African American female students and contribute to their accelerated entry into the school-to-prison pipeline. Existing literature indicated that these policies subject African American female students to harsher disciplinary practices and that their behaviors were often misunderstood by school administrators. However, there is limited research on how school administrators’ discretionary implementation of zero-tolerance policies contributes to these disparities. The purpose of this general qualitative study was to explore how school administrators interpret and exercise discretion when implementing zero tolerance policies affecting African American female students through the lens of Lipsky’s street-level bureaucracy theory. Four themes were …

Florida Police Officers’ Reflections On Faith And Spirituality Through Lived Experiences, Steven Vose Mcgillicuddy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative phenomenological study examined how Florida police officers perceived changes in their spiritual and religious beliefs following prolonged exposure to critical incidents. The research question asked how officers interpreted, adapted, and transformed their spiritual or religious beliefs in response to repeated critical incident exposure. Nine sworn frontline officers participated and were interviewed using a semi structured protocol. Transcripts were analyzed inductively using thematic analysis. Three primary findings emerged: (1) Career and Impact captured cumulative occupational exposure that prompted moral appraisal and coping, and participants did not report uniform loss of faith; (2) Spiritual Belief followed three common trajectories—stability, strengthening/reaffirmation, …

Exploring How Long-Term Residents Influence Environmental Policy Decisions In The Takushara Settlement In Abuja, Nigeria, Agbanusi Uchechukwu Jonathan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Rapid urbanization of Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has increasingly marginalized indigenous communities, creating a significant disconnect between top-down environmental governance and how it affects residents. Previous research has found that this land swap displaces indigenous stewards and erodes their traditional ecological knowledge, endangering local livelihoods, food security, and sustainable management of natural resources. The purpose of this narrative qualitative study was to explore how long-term residents perceive and experience their influence in environmental policy decisions through the lens of the social-ecological systems framework and the theory of resilience. This study examined the systematic exclusion of long-term residents of the …

The Death Penalty & State Executions In The Mountain West, 1976 - 2024, Mia Tschan, Sydney Mitchell, Yiselle Olivas Ruiz, Dre Boyd-Weatherly, Olivia K. Cheche, Kristian Thymianos, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Criminal Justice

This fact sheet presents 1976-2024 data on the death penalty and state executions in the five Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah. The Death Penalty Information Center (DPIC) report, “State Execution Rates,” includes data on the 36 states that have conducted state executions and the 38 states, federal government, and military institutions that imposed the death penalty between 1976 and 2024. This fact sheet focuses on cumulative executions, executions per capita, and executions per death sentence in each Mountain West state.

Democracy At Work And The Promise Of Dignity: Worker Cooperatives And The Experiences Of Workers Of Color, Isabella "Leila" Thomas

Undergraduate Theses

The United States faces profound wealth inequality which has also disproportionately disadvantaged people of color in terms of economic security. This study investigates how participation in worker cooperatives, which provide higher wages and greater worker benefits on average, impacts worker-members of color. The study draws on qualitative interviews with worker members from largely minority-led cooperatives. It explores how the key cooperative principles of democratic decision-making, autonomy, and community engagement can counteract marginalization. This paper fills significant gaps in research on workplace dynamics by applying Blustein & Allan (2025)'s recently formulated dignity-at-work framework to an alternative, democratized workplace model rather than …

Goals And Budgets: An Exploratory Study Of Sequencing In Budget Simulation Engagement, Frankline Muthomi

Public Administration Faculty Publications and Presentations

Purpose:

The purpose of this study is to examine how the sequencing of budget simulations influences the alignment between priority goals and budgetary decisions. Drawing on behavioral perspectives, the study posits that two simulation sequences—goal setting to budgeting (default) and budgeting to goal setting (alternative)—shape individuals' budgetary responses, particularly the proximity between a program's total cost and the corresponding budgetary allocations. Design/methodology/approach This study employs a quasi-experimental research design using Balancing Act modules that enable participants to articulate their priority goals and corresponding resource allocations. Adult Americans (aged 18 and above) were recruited through an online crowdsourcing platform and randomly …

Administrative Burden: The Hidden Costs Associated With Participating In The Department Of Veterans Affairs’ Disability Compensation Process, Christopher Anthony Campagno

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has characterized the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA) as a procedural success, citing reductions in remand rates and increases in grant rates. However, VA’s reporting on AMA performance has generally focused on adjudicatory outcomes and has not addressed the administrative burden costs veterans incur while navigating the disability compensation process. Although current scholarship documents administrative burden in other public programs, little empirical work has examined how it manifests in VA’s disability compensation process. The purpose of this general qualitative study was to examine how veterans describe the learning, psychological, and compliance costs they experienced …

Regulating Dogs Or Protecting Industry? A Critical Analysis On The Animal Welfare Act And The Federal Oversight Of Commercial Dog Breeding In The United States, Ava Knight '26

Honor Scholar Theses

To evaluate whether existing federal laws adequately protect the welfare of dogs, this research relies on publicly available inspection records and enforcement data from the United States Department of Agriculture and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA, APHIS), federal oversight reports from the United States Department of Agriculture and Office of Inspector General (USDA, OIG), and data collected by animal welfare organizations including Humane World for Animals and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). These sources expose how current regulations function in practice and reveal gaps in oversight that allow harmful breeding conditions to …

Systemic Poverty Amongst Puerto Ricans In New Jersey, Karen M. Acevedo-Quintana

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Puerto Ricans account for over 20% of Hispanics in New Jersey. It is estimated that 27.8% live below the poverty line. The poverty rate amongst this community is higher than the state average. Prior to this study, no known study examined what advocates for improving socioeconomic conditions amongst Puerto Ricans in New Jersey believed were the barriers to and/or facilitators of reducing poverty. The purpose of the generic qualitative study was to identify and analyze the perceptions of expert advocates regarding the current barriers to and/or facilitators of reducing poverty amongst Puerto Ricans in New Jersey using interpretivism through the …

The Expanding Digital Border: Ai, Surveillance, And The Fight For Justice, James Chesser

Immigration and Human Rights Law Review

As artificial intelligence transforms the mechanisms of immigration control, the modern border has become a digital filter—one governed less by geography and more by code. This Article examines the legal, technical, and ethical implications of AI-driven systems now central to global border enforcement, including biometric surveillance, algorithmic risk scoring, and predictive profiling. It explores how states use these technologies not only to manage irregular migration, but to compete for global talent—constructing migration regimes that reward capital and compliance while eroding transparency, due process, and equality.

Through an international and comparative lens, the piece highlights the expansion of algorithmic decision-making across …

The Impact Of Police Corruption On National Security In Liberia, Yontonson Deddeh Kollie Kesselly

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African countries are grappling with policies and laws to mitigate widespread police corruption. However, for decades, corruption within the police force has drawn intense criticism from citizens. Prior research has indicated that state officials are likely to benefit from police corruption, including bribery, thereby undermining Liberia's economic and social stability and prosperity. The issue that prompted this research is that despite extensive police reforms in Liberia’s national police, corruption cases remain prevalent, raising national security concerns. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to investigate Liberians' perceptions of the impact of police corruption on national security in Liberia through …

1st Place Research Paper: "Gaps In The Academy: Evaluating Pre-Service Criminal Justice Training For Interactions With Vulnerable Populations", Rowan Eiselman

Kevin and Tam Ross Undergraduate Research Prize

This research investigates pre-service training for law enforcement officers (LEOs), specifically examining how current educational practices prepare them to interact with vulnerable populations, including victims, suspects, and individuals in crisis. The quality of this training is critical, as it directly shapes officer behavior, decision-making, and ethical conduct in the field (Mier, 2018). Amid heightened public scrutiny of police practices and calls for reform, the effectiveness of law enforcement education has become a central concern.

The significance of this topic is underscored by extensive research on training methodologies such as procedural justice and de-escalation, which aim to improve police-community relations and …

Review Of Reinventing Food Banks And Pantries: New Tools To End Hunger, 2021, By Katie S. Martin, Washington, Dc: Island Press. Paper, 253 Pages., Thomas Hansen

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Review of book which makes recommendations on setting up and conducting successful food pantries and food banks to help persons suffering from food insecurity issues.

Brief #3: Collaborative Aggregation & Marketing Of Local Farm Food: Customer Perspectives On Participation Barriers, Evan England, Rachel Filippone, Hannah Stokes-Ramos, Cindy (Luyue) Zheng, Olivia Burton, Analena Bruce

Food Practice Research

No abstract provided.

A National Security Strategy For The Middle East, Vanessa Rice, Rudy Torres, Addy Horgan, Joy Omosa, Mark Westfall

School of Public Policy Capstones

This National Security Strategy addresses the persistent national security challenges the United States faces in the Middle East, a region vital for global energy supply, economic connectivity, and a source of anti-American extremism. Recognizing the failures of past "haphazard experimentation," the strategy proposes a thoughtful, pragmatic plan prioritizing five distinct and congruent interest areas: Maintaining Regional Access, Supporting Regional Stability, Ensuring Energy Security, Defending American Citizens and Personnel, and Preserving and Protecting Western Ideals. The strategy outlines actions such as: countering Chinese and Russian influence through intelligence sharing and defense incentives; containing Iran via a new, permanent nuclear deal and …

The Role Of Institutes Of Higher Learning In Deepening Social Impact, Steve Loh, Janna Wong

Asian Management Insights

Institutes of higher learning do more than generate knowledge. At their best, they connect partners, evidence, policy and capability to make social impact more credible, cumulative and durable. 

The “One Big Beautiful Bill” Will Deepen The Farm Crisis, Not Solve It, Rebecca Schewe, Rick Welsh

Center for Policy Research

The One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) promises billions in new farm subsidies, but most of that money won’t go to the farmers who need it most. This brief describes how the OBBB’s changes to agricultural subsidy programs will disproportionately benefit large farms and non-farming investors, accelerating farm loss and consolidation across the United States. The authors argue that without reforms, the OBBB will inflate land values, raise barriers for new and small farmers, and further fuel absentee farmland investment. The authors also identify four reforms policymakers should enact to prevent these devastating consequences, including tightening payment limits and closing loopholes, …