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Title: PROSECUTORIAL DISCRETION AND ITS IMPACT ON A DEFENDANT’S FIFTH AND FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT RIGHTS.
Creator: Gorman, Hannah Nicole, Cesar, Gabriel, Florida Atlantic University, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, College of Social Work and Criminal Justice
Abstract/Description: Prosecutors have high levels of discretion. Responsibilities of a prosecutor range from appropriate charging decisions to safeguarding principal criminal procedures. Understanding prosecutorial discretion is crucial since most convictions result from guilty pleas. Social scientists have analyzed empirical data on the influence of extra-legal characteristics during initial charging and sentencing stages. However, few have examined the interaction between case law and empirical research...
Show moreProsecutors have high levels of discretion. Responsibilities of a prosecutor range from appropriate charging decisions to safeguarding principal criminal procedures. Understanding prosecutorial discretion is crucial since most convictions result from guilty pleas. Social scientists have analyzed empirical data on the influence of extra-legal characteristics during initial charging and sentencing stages. However, few have examined the interaction between case law and empirical research regarding a prosecutor’s perception concerning a defendant’s rights throughout case processing. Consequently, not much is known about how prosecutorial discretion impacts a defendant’s constitutional rights under the fifth and fourteenth amendments, specifically the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses. This thesis evaluates prosecutorial discretion and provides a comprehensive analysis of how laws shape sociological theories and legal concepts. Implications of these analyses are discussed through the context of case law, theory, and research.
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Date Issued: 2022
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013915
Subject Headings: Prosecutorial discretion, Prosecution--Decision making, Civil rights, Prosecutorial misconduct
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Investigating the impact of recurrent and non-recurrent congestion on highway operations.
Creator: Ferri, Marcello G., Kaisar, Evangelos I., Florida Atlantic University, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering
Abstract/Description: Traffic congestion is one of the most concerning issues in the transportation system. Recurrent congestion and non-recurrent congestion are explored in this research. This research will investigate one of the most concerning issues with the transportation system, congestion, using an overall delay analysis study. A developed fused database program was used to access and analyze the complete database data. Two online databases were used for obtaining traffic, incident and weather data. Eleven...
Show moreTraffic congestion is one of the most concerning issues in the transportation system. Recurrent congestion and non-recurrent congestion are explored in this research. This research will investigate one of the most concerning issues with the transportation system, congestion, using an overall delay analysis study. A developed fused database program was used to access and analyze the complete database data. Two online databases were used for obtaining traffic, incident and weather data. Eleven different scenarios such as peak-hours, rain scenario, incidents scenario, and work zone scenario were developed for the analysis. An overall delay study was performed on all scenarios to find the impact recurring and non-recurring congestion on the highway. The results of this research were interesting for future adjustment and improvements on the two segments of highways selected.
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Date Issued: 2014
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004283, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004283
Subject Headings: Intelligent transportation systems, Traffic congestion, Traffic estimation, Traffic flow, Transportation -- Finance -- Decision making, Transportation -- Finance -- Decision making
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Objective self-awareness, standards of evaluation, and moral behavior.
Creator: Vallacher, Robin R., Solodky, Maurice
Date Issued: 1979
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/2796533
Subject Headings: Self-perception., Psychology --Experiments., Decision making --Moral and ethical aspects.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: An Empirical Test of a General Theory of Problem-Solving.
Creator: Hall, Justin, Shaw, Eric H., Florida Atlantic University, College of Business, Department of Marketing
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this research is to better understand how marketers and consumers solve problems. This research first reviews the problem-solving literature, discusses several areas of confusion related to problem-solving, and offers solutions. After resolving the confusion, this research then develops a theoretical model of problemsolving. Four hypotheses are derived from the model, and then empirically tested. The model states that the distinct cognitive domain of problem-solving begins with...
Show moreThe purpose of this research is to better understand how marketers and consumers solve problems. This research first reviews the problem-solving literature, discusses several areas of confusion related to problem-solving, and offers solutions. After resolving the confusion, this research then develops a theoretical model of problemsolving. Four hypotheses are derived from the model, and then empirically tested. The model states that the distinct cognitive domain of problem-solving begins with problem recognition. Given a problem, associative memory and associative activation provide a solution (H #1). This solution is either satisfactory or unsatisfactory. If satisfactory, the individual engages in the satisficing process and accepts the solution (H#2). If unsatisfactory, the individual engages in the decision-making process and searches for information related to an alternative solution (H #3). Thus, the difference between satisficing and decision-making is the search for information (H #4). Problemsolving ends when an intended solution is chosen. A pretest and two studies are conducted to test the four hypotheses. The Pretest demonstrated situations that elicited problem recognition. Study 1 tested hypothesis #1 and found that at least 75 percent of the time associative memory and associative activation provided a solution. Study 2 tested hypotheses #2, #3, and #4. Hypotheses #2 and #3 were tested using a two-way ANOVA, Chi-Square, and Point Biserial Correlation and hypothesis #4 was tested using an independent sample t-test and Point Biserial Correlation. Results of all empirical tests confirm each of the hypotheses, which in turn support the theoretical model.
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Date Issued: 2017
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004807, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004807
Subject Headings: Game theory., Problem solving., Decision making., Management science., System theory., Creative thinking., Creative ability in business.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Decision making models utilized by nurses to activate rapid response teams.
Creator: Parker, Carlo G., Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships between the nurses' decision making model, frequency of Rapid Response Team (RRT) activation, and the nurse's skill at the early recognition of clinical deterioration. A descriptive, cross sectional quantitative design was used. The participants in this study were 167 acute care registered nurses who had activated the RRT at least once in the preceding 12 months. The participants first were asked to recall a time when they had made...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to determine the relationships between the nurses' decision making model, frequency of Rapid Response Team (RRT) activation, and the nurse's skill at the early recognition of clinical deterioration. A descriptive, cross sectional quantitative design was used. The participants in this study were 167 acute care registered nurses who had activated the RRT at least once in the preceding 12 months. The participants first were asked to recall a time when they had made the decision to activate the RRT and then were asked to complete the instruments used in this study. Using the Nurse Decision-Making Instrument, the participant's decision making model then was categorized as analytic, intuitive, or mixed. The skill at early recognition of clinical deterioration was measured with the Manifestations of Early Recognition Instrument. Participant scores on the two instruments were significantly correlated with each other as well as to their frequency of RRT activation over the preceding 12 months. The findings of this study indicated that nurses who used analytical decision making activated the RRT with greater frequency than either the intuitive or mixed decision makers. In addition, registered nurses who used analytical decision making to activate the RRT tended to have higher levels of skill in the early recognition of clinical deterioration, as measured by the MER, than either the intuitive or mixed decision makers. Another finding of this study was that RNs with higher levels of skill in the early recognition of clinical deterioration tended to activate the RRT more frequently than RNs with lower levels of this skill. The implications of this study are that the use of analytical decision making may result in more frequent activation of the RRT., Increased frequency of RRT activation has been linked in the literature with decreased patient mortality rates. The significance of the findings from this study is that the use of analytic decision making has the potential to reduce the incidence of the number one patient safety indicator, failure to rescue.
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Date Issued: 2011
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3318676
Subject Headings: Nursing, Decision making, Clinical competence, Outcome assessment (Medical care), Nursing diagnosis, Nurse and patient
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Risk-evaluation in clinical diagnostic studies: ascertaining statistical bounds via logistic regression of medical informatics data.
Creator: Dupont, Alice Norm., College of Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Computer and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Abstract/Description: The efforts addressed in this thesis refer to applying nonlinear risk predictive techniques based on logistic regression to medical diagnostic test data. This study is motivated and pursued to address the following: 1. To extend logistic regression model of biostatistics to medical informatics 2. Computational preemptive and predictive testing to determine the probability of occurrence (p) of an event by fitting a data set to a (logit function) logistic curve: Finding upper and lower bounds...
Show moreThe efforts addressed in this thesis refer to applying nonlinear risk predictive techniques based on logistic regression to medical diagnostic test data. This study is motivated and pursued to address the following: 1. To extend logistic regression model of biostatistics to medical informatics 2. Computational preemptive and predictive testing to determine the probability of occurrence (p) of an event by fitting a data set to a (logit function) logistic curve: Finding upper and lower bounds on p based on stochastical considerations 3. Using the model developed on available (clinical) data to illustrate the bounds-limited performance of the prediction. Relevant analytical methods, computational efforts and simulated results are presented. Using the results compiled, the risk evaluation in medical diagnostics is discussed with real-world examples. Conclusions are enumerated and inferences are made with directions for future studies.
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Date Issued: 2011
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3332187
Subject Headings: Medical informatics, Clinical medicine, Decision making, Data processing, Medical protocols, Medicine, Research, Statistical methods
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Optimal operation of hydro power systems under a fuzzy multi-objective decision making environment.
Creator: Ferreira, Andrâe Rodrigues., College of Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering
Abstract/Description: Management of water resources has become more complex in recent years as a result of changing attitudes towards sustainability and the attribution of greater attention to environmental issues, especially under a scenario of water scarcity risk introduced by climate changes and anthropogenic pressures. This thesis addresses the conflicts in optimizing multi-purpose hydropower operations under an environment where objectives are often conflicting and uncertain. Mathematical programming...
Show moreManagement of water resources has become more complex in recent years as a result of changing attitudes towards sustainability and the attribution of greater attention to environmental issues, especially under a scenario of water scarcity risk introduced by climate changes and anthropogenic pressures. This thesis addresses the conflicts in optimizing multi-purpose hydropower operations under an environment where objectives are often conflicting and uncertain. Mathematical programming formulations can be used to achieve flexible, feasible and optimal operation and planning solutions to satisfy expectations of multiple stake-holders, including regulatory environmental compliance and sustainability. Innovative optimization models using MINLP with binary variables, fuzzy set theory, partial constraint satisfaction and multi-objective formulations incorporating unit commitment problem and adaptive real-time operations are developed and applied to a real life case study. These methodologies provide advances and valuable insights on optimal operations of hydropower systems under uncertain decision making environments.
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Date Issued: 2009
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/368616
Subject Headings: Water resources development, Environmental aspects, Water conservation, Management, Integrated water development, Decision making, Mathematical models
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Holding the frontline: the experience of being a charge nurse in an acute care setting.
Creator: Eggenberger, Terry L., Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing
Abstract/Description: Within the current context of the healthcare environment, the charge nurse role has become very important for safety and positive outcomes. There is little known about the role from the perspective of the charge nurse. This qualitative descriptive exploratory study examined the experience of being a charge nurse in acute care practice, and describes how charge nurses live caring in their support of nurses and patients. Ray's (1989, 2006) theory of Bureaucratic Caring, Swanson's (2008) caring...
Show moreWithin the current context of the healthcare environment, the charge nurse role has become very important for safety and positive outcomes. There is little known about the role from the perspective of the charge nurse. This qualitative descriptive exploratory study examined the experience of being a charge nurse in acute care practice, and describes how charge nurses live caring in their support of nurses and patients. Ray's (1989, 2006) theory of Bureaucratic Caring, Swanson's (2008) caring attributes and leadership, and Boykin and Schoenhofer's (2001) theory of Nursing as Caring provided the theoretical lenses through which study findings were viewed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 charge nurses in 4 acute care facilities. Eight themes emerged from an inductive analysis of the data describing the experience of being a charge nurse in acute care practice: Creating a Safety Net, Monitoring for Quality, Showing the Way, Completing the Puzzle, Managing the Flow, Mak ing a Difference, Putting Out Fires, and Keeping Patients Happy. Participants also were asked questions about how they provide support to staff nurses and patients. Themes that reflected how charge nurses live caring in their support of staff and patients were: Jumping in the Trenches, Nurturing Staff Growth, Offering Authentic Presence, and Looking after Nurses. Additionally, the researcher used methods of narrative inquiry to get the participants to share stories of how they lived caring in their support of nurses and patients. Recommendations included the need to elevate the visibility of the charge nurse role and its importance to the organization, and provide support for leadership development. Job descriptions and competencies for charge nurses must reflect the complexity of the environment., Charge nurse participants did not dialogue explicitly about their functions in terms of communication and intraprofessional team building. Since charge nurses have an increasing involvement with mentoring novice nurses and new staff, they would benefit from developing coaching skills. Given the current environment, their responsibilities in these areas may need to be better articulated so that they can focus on increasing these abilities.
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Date Issued: 2011
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3170952
Subject Headings: Nursing services, Administration, Nurse and patient, Nursing, Philosophy, Nursing, Decision making, Clinical competence
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Dynamic social impact in electronic juries: The emergence of subgroup clustering through small group communication.
Creator: Jackson, Craig Campbell, Florida Atlantic University, Latane, Bibb, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
Abstract/Description: Testing a new theory of dynamic social influence, 39 mock juries in two studies deliberated student honor court cases by electronic mail. After reading about each case, participants sent and received messages to a spatially coherent or random subset of jurors on each of five sessions. Individuals appeared to take their role of juror seriously and were responsive to each others' arguments; one-third changed their verdicts after receiving two out of two opposing messages and just over half...
Show moreTesting a new theory of dynamic social influence, 39 mock juries in two studies deliberated student honor court cases by electronic mail. After reading about each case, participants sent and received messages to a spatially coherent or random subset of jurors on each of five sessions. Individuals appeared to take their role of juror seriously and were responsive to each others' arguments; one-third changed their verdicts after receiving two out of two opposing messages and just over half changed in the face of four of four opposing messages. Polarization toward the majority verdict was common in both studies; however, consistent with a key prediction of dynamic social impact theory, unanimity was suppressed among the spatial compared to random juries by the emergence of spatially distinct subgroups. Clustering and polarization were prevalent even among juries passing as few as two messages per juror each round, providing strong evidence that DSIT applies even to important issues.
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Date Issued: 1995
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/15230
Subject Headings: Social psychology, Small groups, Communication in small groups, Group decision making
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: THE PERCEPTIONS OF SECONDARY SCHOOL ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AND DEANS IN PALM BEACH COUNTY RELATIVE TO THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS.
Creator: SMITH, JOSH, JR., Florida Atlantic University
Abstract/Description: Purpose. This study was designed to examine the perceptions of secondary school assistant principals and deans in Palm Beach County to determine the extent that they perceived their involvement in the decision-making process. Conclusions. It is concluded from the results of these analyses that there are significant differences between the perceptions of assistant principals and deans relative to their involvement in the decision-making process. There are significant differences in their...
Show morePurpose. This study was designed to examine the perceptions of secondary school assistant principals and deans in Palm Beach County to determine the extent that they perceived their involvement in the decision-making process. Conclusions. It is concluded from the results of these analyses that there are significant differences between the perceptions of assistant principals and deans relative to their involvement in the decision-making process. There are significant differences in their perceptions of the following variables used to measure the perceived extent of involvement in decision making: l) Communication; 2) Motivation; 3) Accountability; 4) Interaction-Influence; and 5) Involvement In Decision Haking. There are no significant differences in their perceptions of the Discrimination variable used to measure the perceived extent of involvement in decision making. It is also concluded from the results of these analyses that there are significant differences between the perceptions of black deans and white deans relative to their involvement in the decision-making process. There are significant differences in their perceptions of the following variables used to measure the perceived extent of involvement in decision making: l) Accountability; 2) Motivation; 3) Communication; and 4) Discrimination. There are no significant differences in their perceptions of the Interaction-Influence and Involvement In Decision Making variables used to measure the extent of involvement in decision making. Additionally, the analyses also indicate significant correlations between the years of administrative experience of assistant principals and deans and their perceptions with regard to their involvement in the decision-making process. There are significant correlations relative to the following variables used to measure the correlations: 1) Involvement In Decision Making: 2) Interaction-Influence; 3) Motivation; and 4) Discrimination. There are no significant correlations relative to the Accountability and Communication variables used to measure the correlations. Finally it is concluded that deans are no less reluctant to assume responsibility in decision making than assistant principals.
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Date Issued: 1981
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/11777
Subject Headings: School management and organization--Florida--Decision making, High schools--Administration
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: On the interaction between the investment and financing decision: An extension and empirical test of the Williamson specificity hypothesis.
Creator: Cushing, Woodrow Wilson, Jr., Florida Atlantic University, McCarty, Daniel E.
Abstract/Description: This dissertation has a twofold objective: to extend the Williamson asset specificity hypothesis and to empirically test both the asset specificity hypothesis and the extension. The Williamson asset specificity hypothesis asserts that the financial leverage used by firms is a function of the specificity of the assets owned by the firm when asset specificity is defined as the readiness with which assets can be re-deployed. This results from a governance argument whereby highly specific assets...
Show moreThis dissertation has a twofold objective: to extend the Williamson asset specificity hypothesis and to empirically test both the asset specificity hypothesis and the extension. The Williamson asset specificity hypothesis asserts that the financial leverage used by firms is a function of the specificity of the assets owned by the firm when asset specificity is defined as the readiness with which assets can be re-deployed. This results from a governance argument whereby highly specific assets can only be governed by increased equity participation. This argument is extended with the assertion that increased specificity causes operating leverage to rise and that firms counter this increased operating leverage by decreasing the financial leverage they employ. Liquidation value is employed as a proxy measure for how readily assets can be converted to cash. Data was gathered for a sample of firms who have liquidated and include firms liquidated in bankruptcy and firms liquidated voluntarily. Using these data a model is developed to estimate the liquidation value of any firm. A cross-sectional time-series formulation is employed using data gathered for thirty-six firms over a twenty-two year period. A statistically significant positive relationship was found to exist between the estimated liquidation value and financial leverage which supports the Williamson asset specificity hypothesis. Neither the cross-sectional nor time series behavior of firms provides evidence of a trade-off between interest tax shields and non-debt tax shields. No significant relationship was found to exist between the value of the non-debt tax shield and financial leverage. No evidence was found indicating a relationship between operating leverage of firms and financial leverage. However, evidence was found that firms with higher percentage changes in sales from year to year, lower probabilities of failure, higher levels of financial slack, and lower values for interest tax shields use less financial leverage. Finally, evidence was found indicating that firms employed more financial leverage in the 1980's than in the 1970's.
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Date Issued: 1993
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12343
Subject Headings: Transaction costs, Asset-backed financing, Corporations--Finance--Decision making
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A STUDY TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT TO WHICH SELECTED SCHOOL COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE INVOLVED IN THE PARTICIPATORY MANAGEMENT PROCESS.
Creator: MITCHELL, ROY ISHMAN., Florida Atlantic University
Abstract/Description: Purpose: This study was designed to examine the perceptions of selected school community members to determine to what extent they perceived their involvement in the participatory management process. Conclusions and Recommendations: It is concluded from the results of these analyses that administrators tend to believe that members of the school community are involved in the participatory management process to a greater extent than do teachers, students, advisory council members and counselors....
Show morePurpose: This study was designed to examine the perceptions of selected school community members to determine to what extent they perceived their involvement in the participatory management process. Conclusions and Recommendations: It is concluded from the results of these analyses that administrators tend to believe that members of the school community are involved in the participatory management process to a greater extent than do teachers, students, advisory council members and counselors. Further, it was concluded that perhaps administrators should review the management practices in their schools if they intend to operate according to the principles of participatory management and if they really want to discourage the issuance of further legislative mandates, collective bargaining demands, public criticisms and psychological withdrawls. Organizations with commitments to enlightened leadership have been proven to be the most effective and efficient. The lack of involvement in deciding matters that affect them decreases subordinates' sense of commitments and, therefore, limits the full implementation of decisions. If schools are to become more effective and efficient, all members of the school community must be provided ways to become integral parts of the decision-making process. Administrators must be willing to share their authority. The responsibility for correcting these perceptions rest with administrators, for they are the educational leaders of the schools.
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Date Issued: 1977
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/11686
Subject Headings: School management and organization--Decision making, Teacher participation in administration--United States
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Values identified by nurses in middle management positions.
Creator: Jester, LaFonda Renee., Florida Atlantic University, Parker, Marilyn
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study was to describe the values identified by nurses in middle management positions at a Florida for profit hospital. Latent content analysis was the method used to describe values identified by ten nurses in middle management positions. The analysis revealed a total of eight value themes. Two themes emerged as overarching: the value of economics and the value of caring. Six other value themes were interwoven into the overarching themes and consisted of commitment,...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to describe the values identified by nurses in middle management positions at a Florida for profit hospital. Latent content analysis was the method used to describe values identified by ten nurses in middle management positions. The analysis revealed a total of eight value themes. Two themes emerged as overarching: the value of economics and the value of caring. Six other value themes were interwoven into the overarching themes and consisted of commitment, compassion, competence, patience, respect for the other and technology.
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Date Issued: 1995
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/15129
Subject Headings: Nurse administrators, Nursing services--Administration, Values, Nursing--Decision making
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: RESILIENT STRETCHING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGE LEADERS: INSTITUTIONAL FISCAL DECISION-MAKING DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
Creator: Law, Renée, Floyd, Deborah L., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, College of Education
Abstract/Description: In this qualitative grounded theory study, I interviewed participants from and analyzed documents associated with three community/state colleges in Florida. Additionally, I have included the perspective of key informants from the state and/or the Florida College System. The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory study was to develop a substantive theory to explain the process by which senior administrative leaders engaged in fiscal decision-making due to shifting funding sources during...
Show moreIn this qualitative grounded theory study, I interviewed participants from and analyzed documents associated with three community/state colleges in Florida. Additionally, I have included the perspective of key informants from the state and/or the Florida College System. The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory study was to develop a substantive theory to explain the process by which senior administrative leaders engaged in fiscal decision-making due to shifting funding sources during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although prior decision-making theories exist, such as rational choice theory and garbage can theory, these theories do not address how fiscal decisions are made in higher education institutions during times of extended crisis exemplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. This research study found that during the COVID-19 pandemic leaders sought to establish resilience as part of their fiscal decision-making process to ensure their ability to lead and maintain viable institutions of higher education. Moreover, through the fiscal decision-making process, the leaders in this study did not permit themselves or their institutions to accept the status quo, rather they extended themselves and their organizations to stretch beyond prior capabilities to respond to ever changing needs of students as well as external stakeholders brought about from the COVID-19 pandemic. The collective experiences of these leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the resilient stretching theory of community college fiscal decision-making, which will be further expounded upon throughout this research study.
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Date Issued: 2023
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014351
Subject Headings: Community college administrators, Education--Finance, Decision making, Education, Higher--Administration, COVID-19
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Adolescent informants about rural teen pregnancy.
Creator: Weiss, Josie A.
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/3183266
Subject Headings: Rural health--U.S., Sexual ethics for teenagers --Decision making, Sexual ethics for youth --United States, Teenage pregnancy, Teenage pregnancy --Prevention, Teenage pregnancy --Prevention & control, Teenage pregnancy --United States, Teenage pregnancy --United States --Prevention, Teenagers --Sexual behavior --Decision making
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Jury decision-making: a study of the influence of sentencing information on jurors.
Creator: Hackett, Steven., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: This thesis is a study of the empirical significance of sentencing information on jury decision-making. A challenge in conducting jury behavior research is that direct observation of jury deliberation is either illegal or impractical. Thus most studies of jury behavior are conducted using archival analysis and mock jury questionnaires. And while we have some information on the issue of jury instruction complexity on jury decision-making, we know very little about the specific role of...
Show moreThis thesis is a study of the empirical significance of sentencing information on jury decision-making. A challenge in conducting jury behavior research is that direct observation of jury deliberation is either illegal or impractical. Thus most studies of jury behavior are conducted using archival analysis and mock jury questionnaires. And while we have some information on the issue of jury instruction complexity on jury decision-making, we know very little about the specific role of sentencing information on jury decision-making. My research combines aspects of the jury decision-making literature with the sentencing literature, and thus fills a crucial gap in the literature. While we know much about jury decision-making and much about the process of sentencing--this research directly tested whether these two phenomena are related. Mock trials of 100 participants were used to collect the data for this thesis study. The results provide clear evidence that there is a significant effect on jury decision-making when the jurors are provided with sentencing information.
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Date Issued: 2008
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/209991
Subject Headings: Sentences (Criminal procedure), Justice, Administration of, Decision making, Judicial discretion, Verdicts, Psychological aspects
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Beyond fidelity: relating educational practices and their determinants to student learning gains.
Creator: Urdegar, Steven M., Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
Abstract/Description: This study explored how contextual factors influenced the effect of educational practices on student reading achievement and describes an alternative means of assessing educational programs under conditions of multiple-treatment interference and innovation diffusion. Over 1,500 reading teachers at 69 elementary schools within a large diverse district completed surveys regarding multiple aspects of the reading program, actions of their reading leaders, and instructional program coherence at...
Show moreThis study explored how contextual factors influenced the effect of educational practices on student reading achievement and describes an alternative means of assessing educational programs under conditions of multiple-treatment interference and innovation diffusion. Over 1,500 reading teachers at 69 elementary schools within a large diverse district completed surveys regarding multiple aspects of the reading program, actions of their reading leaders, and instructional program coherence at their schools. Nearly 13,000 students in grades 2 through 5 were assigned to those teachers. Factor analyses were used to separately identify patterns within survey items that measured educational practices, leadership actions, and instructional program coherence. Then, the students' achievement gains were adjusted for the effects of fixed demographic and organizational variables through hierarchical linear modeling. Finally, classroom level relationships between the adjusted achievement gains, and subscales computed from the factors that were identified, were examined through a path analysis. Educational practices were found to align to six factors labeled Technology, Training Utility, Advanced Skills, Basic Skills, Grouping, and Assessment. Leadership actions were found to align to two factors labeled Relationship and Task. Fixed effects at the student, classroom, and school levels were found to have an impact on both the initial status and growth components of student achievement. In the path model, Task was found to have a significant direct effect on Advanced Skills, while the effect of Relationship on educational practices was partially mediated by Instructional Program Coherence. Both Advanced and Basic skills were found to have positive effects on Adjusted Gain when taught at the appropriate level, and negative effects, when taught at the inappropriate level., Technology was found to facilitate Basic Skills instruction overall, with greater benefits seen at the upper grades. It was concluded the rates of use seen for Advanced and Basic skills instruction were similar at the three types of schools examined because of poor differentiation due to innovation diffusion. Teachers who perceived their leaders as supportive, tended to rate their schools as more coherent and training requirements as more appropriate, and used technology and assessment more often, leading to gains in student achievement.
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Date Issued: 2008
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/77653
Subject Headings: School management and organization, Decision making, Education, Evaluation, Educational tests and measurements, School improvement programs, Evaluation
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: An Inquiry into Fire Service Consolidation and the Economies of Scale Debate: The Centralization Versus Decentralization Argument.
Creator: D’Angelo III, Salvatore A., Thai, Khi V., Florida Atlantic University, College for Design and Social Inquiry, School of Public Administration
Abstract/Description: Addressing the current homeland security challenges requires scholars, practitioners, elected officials, and community partners working in unison to mitigate the hazards confronting first responders. Built on public choice theory, this research addressed a specific component of the emergency preparedness matrix: the most preferred fire service organizational design. The fire department organizational designs in this study included a Florida county, city, and independent special control fire...
Show moreAddressing the current homeland security challenges requires scholars, practitioners, elected officials, and community partners working in unison to mitigate the hazards confronting first responders. Built on public choice theory, this research addressed a specific component of the emergency preparedness matrix: the most preferred fire service organizational design. The fire department organizational designs in this study included a Florida county, city, and independent special control fire district (ISFCD) that serve residents on a full-time platform. The concurrent embedded methodology used attempted to unearth which organizational design achieves economies of scale based on quarterly emergency service calls: the centralized county model or the decentralized city/ISFCD models. This study was an inquiry into the centralization versus decentralization argument, with emphases on fire service scale economies and inter-local service agreements Using multiple linear regression modeling accompanied by face-to-face interviews with the respective fire chiefs, this research showed that the county and ISFCD achieve scale economies over 44 quarters, fiscal years 2004-2014. Moreover, the interviews uncovered that response times were the driving factor behind instituting voluntary inter-local service agreements between the three fire departments. Other positive benefits from the service agreements include an increase in personnel and scene safety, dispatch center protocol enhancements, multi-company/jurisdictional training, overtime savings on large-scale disaster incidents, and trust building. The implications of this research for the scholarly and practitioner community include a better understanding of the technical and allocative efficiencies within the fire service arena. Melding public choice theory with strands of inter-local service agreement literature provides policymakers and scholars with a template for uncovering the fire service production/provision narrative. Though the centralization-decentralization argument is not solved within the research scope presented, the future narrative as uncovered in the research requires a citizenry inclusion. The future public choice prescriptions regarding fire service consolidation requires not only statistical modeling, but a normative democratic ethos tone incorporating multiple stakeholders with the citizens’ concerns at the forefront.
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Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004674, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004674
Subject Headings: Emergency management -- Decision making, Metropolitan government -- United States, Municipal services -- United States, Organizational effectiveness, Preparedness -- Government policy, Regional planning
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Executive fire officers' strategic thinking capabilities and the relationship with information and communication technology.
Creator: Penney, Gerri., College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
Abstract/Description: This study investigates the relationship of executive fire officers' use of strategic thinking skills and their proficiency using information and communication technology. A non-experimental quantitative study design was employed. The study consisted of 400 graduates of the National Fire Academy's Executive Fire Officer Program. The use of strategic thinking skills was measured by the Strategic Thinking Questionnaire (STQv6) (Pisapia & Reyes-Guerra, 2007). The use of information and...
Show moreThis study investigates the relationship of executive fire officers' use of strategic thinking skills and their proficiency using information and communication technology. A non-experimental quantitative study design was employed. The study consisted of 400 graduates of the National Fire Academy's Executive Fire Officer Program. The use of strategic thinking skills was measured by the Strategic Thinking Questionnaire (STQv6) (Pisapia & Reyes-Guerra, 2007). The use of information and communication technology tools was measured by the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Fluency Questionnaire (Hilberg, 2007). The EFOs' strategic thinking capabilities of systems thinking (3.58 +/- .447) and reflecting (3.82 +/- .445) compared to previously reported samples from the literature, both empirically and theoretically. Depending upon the sample, some means were significantly higher and others were significantly lower. The strategic thinking questionnaire and the ICT fluency questionnaire were not directly correlated to one another ; however, there were some strong correlations within their subscales. ICT fluency and ICT comfort were highly correlated (r = .516), as well as systems thinking and reflecting (r = .688) at the 0.05 level. There was a significant correlation between age and ICT comfort (r = -.235), as well as between years of experience and ICT comfort (r = -.203) at the 0.05 level. Age moderated the relationship between systems thinking*reflection, and ICT comfort. Race moderated the relationship between systems thinking*reflection, and ICT education/training. This research was significant because it was the first time that Executive Fire Officers have been studied regarding their strategic thinking capabilities and their information and communications technology fluency.
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Date Issued: 2010
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/2683132
Subject Headings: Strategic planning, Knowledge management, Public administration, Decision making, Management information systems, Fire departments, Management, Organizational effectiveness, Transformational leadership
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Democratic accountability for outsourced government services.
Creator: Keeler, Rebecca L., College for Design and Social Inquiry, School of Public Administration
Abstract/Description: Public administration scholars have raised serious concerns about loss of democratic accountability when government services are outsourced to private forprofit businesses because of the very different values and missions of the two sectors. Particular concern for democratic accountability arises when administrative discretion is delegated to governments' private sector agents. Furthermore, if contractors may adversely impact individual rights or interests, or may adversely impact vulnerable...
Show morePublic administration scholars have raised serious concerns about loss of democratic accountability when government services are outsourced to private forprofit businesses because of the very different values and missions of the two sectors. Particular concern for democratic accountability arises when administrative discretion is delegated to governments' private sector agents. Furthermore, if contractors may adversely impact individual rights or interests, or may adversely impact vulnerable populations, special democratic responsibilities arise. It is these three features of outsourcing transactions that constitute the elements of the proposed framework used in this research in order to assess need for heightened attention to democratic accountability. Some scholars argue for application of constitutional and administrative law norms to some government contractors., Public service ethics and transparency requirements found in administrative law are heavily value-laden and mission-driven. If applied to certain government contractors, they can help to bridge the sectors' mission and value differences, thus enhancing democratic accountability for the services performed by governments' private sector agents. This research offers an analytical framework for identifying features of outsourcing transactions that call for enhanced democratic accountability measures such as ethics and transparency requirements, and explores the application of ethics and transparency requirements to governments' contractors. Contracts and laws governing three Florida local government service categories were subjected to close systematic textual and legal analysis: residential trash collection, building code inspection, and inmate health care., The analysis revealed circumstances calling for greater attention to democratic accountability in that the selected outsourcing transactions delegated to contractors the authority to exercise police power, make public policy, and commit expenditures of public funds. Contracts and laws haphazardly required contractors to abide by public service ethics and transparency requirements, thus beginning to adapt the mission and value system of their private sector agents to those of government.
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Date Issued: 2010
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/1927311
Subject Headings: Contracting out, Privatization, Public administration, Decision making, Public contracts, Management
Format: Document (PDF)

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