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- Title
- Attitudinal Trends in Support for Police Use of Force Before and After Ferguson.
- Creator
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Dennison, TaShanda, Donley, Amy, Reckdenwald, Amy, Gay, David, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Since the 2014 death of an unarmed black teenager, Michael Brown by a white Fergusonpolice officer, there has been a string of similar incidents that have occurred in a relatively shortperiod of time. These high profile incidents of police officers using questionable amounts offorce have shaken public trust in law enforcement. Studies have shown that public confidence inlaw enforcement often erodes drastically following heavily publicized, controversial mediareports of police misconduct (Tuch...
Show moreSince the 2014 death of an unarmed black teenager, Michael Brown by a white Fergusonpolice officer, there has been a string of similar incidents that have occurred in a relatively shortperiod of time. These high profile incidents of police officers using questionable amounts offorce have shaken public trust in law enforcement. Studies have shown that public confidence inlaw enforcement often erodes drastically following heavily publicized, controversial mediareports of police misconduct (Tuch and Weitzer 1997; Weitzer 2002). The current levels ofpublic outrage in response to allegations of police brutality have surpassed the levels of outragethat followed similar, highly publicized incidents in previous decades (Lawrence 2000; Weitzer2015). Scholar suggest that recent events, may have a longer-term impact than those in previousdecades (Lawrence 2000; Weitzer 2002). This study seeks to extend the current literature oncitizens' interpretations of police violence and how, if at all it is impacted by highly-publicizedincident of police misconduct. Specifically, the current research uses a national sample tocompare citizens' endorsement of police use of force before and after the 2014 death of MichaelBrown. Overall, the results from a series of logistic regression analyses found that publicattitudes toward police use of force are multifaceted and are shaped by a variety of individualand contextual level variables. Race/ethnicity was determined to be the strongest predictor ofcitizens' endorsement for police violence. It was also revealed that attitudinal support variesdepending on the situational-context surrounding police/citizen interactions.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFE0006992, ucf:51616
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006992
- Title
- The Religious Beliefs and Behaviors of Baby Boomers, Generation X, and the Millennials: are there still gender differences?.
- Creator
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Chase, Jessica, Gay, David, Donley, Amy, Corzine, Harold, Matejowsky, Ty, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The literature describes how changing demographics and cultural factors in recent generations may be contributing to gender differences regarding religion. The present exploratory study uses cross-sectional survey data from the 2012 and 2014 General Social Survey to examine the gender differences in religiosity for Millennials, Generation X, and Baby Boomers. The findings show significant gender and demographic results for attendance at religious services, frequency of prayer, belief in the...
Show moreThe literature describes how changing demographics and cultural factors in recent generations may be contributing to gender differences regarding religion. The present exploratory study uses cross-sectional survey data from the 2012 and 2014 General Social Survey to examine the gender differences in religiosity for Millennials, Generation X, and Baby Boomers. The findings show significant gender and demographic results for attendance at religious services, frequency of prayer, belief in the Bible as the word of God, and belief in life after death for all three generations. Baby Boomer and Millennial women attend religious services more than men, but there is no gender difference for Generation X. However, Women from all generations pray more than men. For belief in the Bible as the word of God, only Baby Boomer women believe more than men. Finally, Millennial women and Generation X women believe in life after death more than men, whereas there is no gender difference in belief for Baby Boomers. Implications of the findings are discussed.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006282, ucf:51592
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006282
- Title
- Food Insecurity, Social Inequality, and Social Policy.
- Creator
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Strickhouser, Sara, Wright, James, Jasinski, Jana, Gay, David, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Research shows that food insecurity rates and experiences vary by subpopulation. This dissertation examines the rates and experience of food insecurity rates across subpopulationsusing a wide variety of sociodemographic factors expanding the current research on de terminants of food insecurity. Subtopics surrounding the current food insecurity research are explored. These topics include determinants of food deserts, SNAP (or food stamps) utilization, and household adaptation strategies. This...
Show moreResearch shows that food insecurity rates and experiences vary by subpopulation. This dissertation examines the rates and experience of food insecurity rates across subpopulationsusing a wide variety of sociodemographic factors expanding the current research on de terminants of food insecurity. Subtopics surrounding the current food insecurity research are explored. These topics include determinants of food deserts, SNAP (or food stamps) utilization, and household adaptation strategies. This research shows that current measurements of food insecurity lack the detail needed to understand why households are food insecure besides lacking income. Using Bourdieu's four forms of capital, this study considers factors beyond income tounderstand the determinants of food insecurity. Quantitative analyses utilize nationally representative data from the 2013 Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement, as well as representative food security data collected for Orange County, FL and state of Florida. Qualitative interviews were conducted to examine adaptation strategies of households with children. This research finds that a number of determinants besides income contribute to household food insecurity and encourages policymakers to move beyond income as the major determinant of food insecurity and consider other household and demographic characteristics as equally important to understanding the problem of food insecurity in the US.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006186, ucf:51136
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006186
- Title
- Chasing "Plan A": Identity Development of First-Generation College Student-Athletes.
- Creator
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Warner, Alexandra, Anthony, Amanda, Grauerholz, Liz, Gay, David, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Student-athletes competing at the university level face a unique set of stressors, pressures, and experiences. While all students will inevitably face difficulties transitioning from high school to post-secondary education, collegiate athletes bear the burden of balancing at least two demanding public roles, student and athlete, along with other interpersonal relationships, such as friendships, familial ties, and connections with teammates and coaches. The current study examines the identity...
Show moreStudent-athletes competing at the university level face a unique set of stressors, pressures, and experiences. While all students will inevitably face difficulties transitioning from high school to post-secondary education, collegiate athletes bear the burden of balancing at least two demanding public roles, student and athlete, along with other interpersonal relationships, such as friendships, familial ties, and connections with teammates and coaches. The current study examines the identity development of college student-athletes and the challenges they face as they transition into and through their involvement in higher education and intercollegiate sports. This project in particular focuses on how the gendered experiences of student-athletes affects their identity development through the lens of Identity Control Theory. The data, drawn from in-depth interviews with 19 Division 1 first-generation student-athletes, explore how student-athletes balance their multiple roles, and thus negotiate their athletic performance, academic concerns, autonomy, and potential stereotypes. It is vital to determine the best practices for first-generation student-athlete success in order to promote positive socialization and encourage college completion through an understanding of what programs can better support student-athletes as students, athletes, and individuals.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006194, ucf:51088
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006194
- Title
- A Place in the Pew: Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Individuals' Perceptions of Religious Traditions.
- Creator
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Barringer, Mandi, Gay, David, Jasinski, Jana, Corzine, Harold, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Research shows that sexual minorities have been criticized and rejected by nearly every major religious group in the United States. The cumulative alienation that sexual minorities experience from mainline religious groups may leave them feeling disillusioned and even hostile toward religious organizations which have historically rejected them. However, research to date has not explored sexual minorities' perceptions of religious collectives in the United States. The current study examines...
Show moreResearch shows that sexual minorities have been criticized and rejected by nearly every major religious group in the United States. The cumulative alienation that sexual minorities experience from mainline religious groups may leave them feeling disillusioned and even hostile toward religious organizations which have historically rejected them. However, research to date has not explored sexual minorities' perceptions of religious collectives in the United States. The current study examines the variations between lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals regarding their religious beliefs and perceptions of religious collectives' attitudes toward the LGB and transgender (LGBT) population. Utilizing data from the 2013 Pew Research Center of LGBT adults, I conduct four separate binary logistic regression analyses examining evangelical Protestant churches', the Catholic Church's, the Jewish religion's, and mainline Protestant churches' acceptance of the LGBT population. The findings from this study offer rare insight from the perspectives of LGB individuals regarding four major religious collectives and illustrates that sexual minorities do indeed have a complex relationship with religious groups. Ultimately, the findings from this research demonstrate the importance of further examining sexual minorities' attitudes and interactions with religious collectives.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006718, ucf:51881
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006718
- Title
- Abortion Attitudes and Subjective Religiosity: Examining a Fourfold Typology.
- Creator
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Guido, Christopher, Gay, David, Corzine, Harold, Lynxwiler, John, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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This is an exploratory study that examins the relationship between religious persons and attitudes toward legal abortion. This study presents a fourfold typology of respondents: (1) pro-choice, but not religious, (2) pro-choice and religious, (3) pro-life, but not religious, and (4) pro-life and religious. This study looks for characteristics of respondents in these categories. As previous research was examined on the relationship between religion and abortion attitudes, the question on what...
Show moreThis is an exploratory study that examins the relationship between religious persons and attitudes toward legal abortion. This study presents a fourfold typology of respondents: (1) pro-choice, but not religious, (2) pro-choice and religious, (3) pro-life, but not religious, and (4) pro-life and religious. This study looks for characteristics of respondents in these categories. As previous research was examined on the relationship between religion and abortion attitudes, the question on what social characteristics make up the four categories of pro-choice and pro-life respondents was examined. Findings show that social characteristics of respondents vary across categories of subjective religiosity and attitudes toward legal abortion typology. Recommendations are made for future research to utilize this data to continue exploring the relationship between social attitudes towards abortion alongside a person's religiosity.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006742, ucf:51872
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006742
- Title
- Rethinking Drinking: A Paradigm Shift for Estimating Social and Behavioral Harm.
- Creator
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Hall, Thomas, Wright, James, Gay, David, Cook, Ida, Dunn, Michael, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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This study challenges old saws about negative consequences attributed to alcohol use. Previous research findings associate negative social and behavioral consequences with alcohol consumption, as if college students only do regrettable things when they are drunk. Typical research related to negative consequences and alcohol use relies on retrospective self-reporting. Investigators often frame negative consequences as outcomes of problematic drinking or, as more commonly labeled, "binge...
Show moreThis study challenges old saws about negative consequences attributed to alcohol use. Previous research findings associate negative social and behavioral consequences with alcohol consumption, as if college students only do regrettable things when they are drunk. Typical research related to negative consequences and alcohol use relies on retrospective self-reporting. Investigators often frame negative consequences as outcomes of problematic drinking or, as more commonly labeled, "binge drinking." In the nomenclature of prevention, binge drinking is not a direct measure of alcohol use resulting in intoxication; it is a hypothetical tipping point, predicting an increased likelihood of the incidence of negative consequences at some (often unspecified) point in the path between (")sober(") and (")drunk(").It is obvious that social and behavioral distress and misbehavior are not limited to drinking. Students miss class, express regrets, say or do embarrassing things, and get injured while sober as well as while drinking. Contemporary measures of alcohol-related negative consequences do not typically control for the prevalence of negative consequences when respondents are sober as well as when they are drinking. Thus it is unclear if the association between drinking and negative consequences is exclusively attributable to alcohol consumption, as is frequently assumed. Self-reported alcohol-related negative consequences might reflect a priori attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors and be unrelated to drinking. The prevalence of social complications unassociated with drinking merits investigation. A better understanding of the overall prevalence of negative consequences is needed to test the notion that drinking, binge drinking in particular, leads to numerous negative consequences presently reported in the alcohol studies literature.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006112, ucf:51196
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006112
- Title
- Measuring Impact: The State of Nonprofit Evaluation in the Greater Orlando Area.
- Creator
-
Strickhouser, Sara, Wright, James, Jasinski, Jana, Gay, David, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Research shows that since the mid-1990s funders of the nonprofit sector have significantly increased the sophistication of their reporting requirements. Funders today want agencies to demonstrate beyond outputs and report on outcomes and the impact they have on the communities they serve. Funders are monitoring community impact by requiring more complex reports from the agencies they fund. These changes have meant that agencies must become proficient in data collection, management, and...
Show moreResearch shows that since the mid-1990s funders of the nonprofit sector have significantly increased the sophistication of their reporting requirements. Funders today want agencies to demonstrate beyond outputs and report on outcomes and the impact they have on the communities they serve. Funders are monitoring community impact by requiring more complex reports from the agencies they fund. These changes have meant that agencies must become proficient in data collection, management, and analyses practices in order to accurately respond to funders' report requests. Nonprofits, however, find these requirements difficult to conceptualize and even more difficult to attain. Managing and analyzing the data necessary to create the required reports proves a formidable task. This research shows that among many obstacles reported, a lack of communication between agency and funders about their intended goals leads to some frustration from both sides, ultimately making it exceptionally difficult to attain the ultimate goal of the new reporting requirements: to measure community-level impact. This study utilizes qualitative interviews with 8 human service nonprofit agencies and one funding agency in the greater Orlando area to investigate what agencies report are their major obstacles when trying to meet funders' new reporting requirements and what a funder's response to these concerns is. Agency interviews were analyzed for the most common themes and concerns reported. The interviews explore the way nonprofits are responding to the new requirements from donors and what they think could be done differently to better capture valuable data that would speak to issues at the community level.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFE0004757, ucf:49781
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004757
- Title
- EXPERIENCES OF STIGMA DURING SEXUAL HEALTHCARE VISITS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF NON-MONOGAMOUS WOMEN.
- Creator
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McCrosky, Rachael, Carter, Shannon, Grauerholz, Liz, Gay, David, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Access to health care services is critical to both personal health outcomes and health equity within a community. While non-monogamous behavior is widespread, stigma surrounding consensual non-monogamy can create barriers to health care access. This research outlines the experiences of non-monogamous women during sexual health care visits, how class acts to modify those experiences, the barriers to health care access that they encounter, and the adaptive strategies they employ. The sample for...
Show moreAccess to health care services is critical to both personal health outcomes and health equity within a community. While non-monogamous behavior is widespread, stigma surrounding consensual non-monogamy can create barriers to health care access. This research outlines the experiences of non-monogamous women during sexual health care visits, how class acts to modify those experiences, the barriers to health care access that they encounter, and the adaptive strategies they employ. The sample for this research was 23 consensually non-monogamous women. Participants were contacted through online support groups, message boards, and snowball sampling. In-depth interviews about their sexual health care experiences were conducted. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for themes related to the intersection of non-monogamy and health care experiences. The interactions between health care professionals and non-monogamous women, whether or not those women disclose their non-monogamous status, were often perceived as stigmatizing. Increased class status, both of participant and of provider, was described as increasing experiences of stigma and barriers to care. The information provided by this research may be used to better understand, and thus improve, the barriers health care access experienced by non-monogamous women. Suggestions given by the participants for improving their health care access and decreasing experiences of stigma are included.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0005662, ucf:50183
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005662
- Title
- Collegiate Concerted Cultivation: The Influence of Class and Family on Higher Education.
- Creator
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Weyant, Meghan, Wright, James, Gay, David, Grauerholz, Liz, Joyner, Laurie, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The 1966 Coleman Report and subsequent research identifies social class as an important determinant of educational outcomes, but after decades of research it is still unclear exactly why. This study purports to explore one possible explanation, collegiate concerted cultivation. The focus of this study was to explore the existence of collegiate concerted cultivation as a sociological concept. Collegiate concerted cultivation provides a theoretical framework to more deeply explore the...
Show moreThe 1966 Coleman Report and subsequent research identifies social class as an important determinant of educational outcomes, but after decades of research it is still unclear exactly why. This study purports to explore one possible explanation, collegiate concerted cultivation. The focus of this study was to explore the existence of collegiate concerted cultivation as a sociological concept. Collegiate concerted cultivation provides a theoretical framework to more deeply explore the relationships between social class, family factors, and familial support of education in order to better understand differential outcomes in achievement in higher education. Using a mixed method approach, the study examined the effects of socioeconomic indicators, institutional and demographic factors on collegiate concerted cultivation. In addition, this study analyzed student experiences of collegiate concerted cultivation in order to establish the archetype characteristics of the new concept. Results of this study indicate that collegiate concerted cultivation does exist, includes a series of defining characteristics, and is influenced by parental socioeconomic indicators.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0005737, ucf:50090
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005737
- Title
- The Disobedient Prisoner: A Racial Comparison of the Level of Punishment Prescribed to Inmates for Rule Violations.
- Creator
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King, Sarah, Corzine, Harold, Gay, David, Reckdenwald, Amy, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
With the various studies that point to racial disparities at different levels of the United States' criminal justice system, it is necessary to uncover all places within the system where racial disparities might exist. Understanding that Black inmates are disproportionately represented within the prison system led to the hypothesis that Black inmates receive harsher punishments than White inmates when they violate a rule while in prison. A cross-sectional study, (")Survey of Inmates in State...
Show moreWith the various studies that point to racial disparities at different levels of the United States' criminal justice system, it is necessary to uncover all places within the system where racial disparities might exist. Understanding that Black inmates are disproportionately represented within the prison system led to the hypothesis that Black inmates receive harsher punishments than White inmates when they violate a rule while in prison. A cross-sectional study, (")Survey of Inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities, 2004,(") which was available through ICPSR, was used in order to test the hypothesis. The data were collected from October 2003 through May 2004. For the current study, only inmates who had committed armed robbery, aggravated assault, or murder were in the sample. After the modification of the variables comprised of race, rule violations, and punishment type, the sample size was 652. First, an OLS regression was used in three models, which showed that major rule violations had a significant effect on the type of punishment an inmate received, but race did not. Second, age groups were employed to run an OLS regression within each of the four age groups. This revealed that major rule violations had a significant effect on the type of punishment an inmate received in four of the age groups, but race was not significant in any of the models. Implications and possible explanations regarding these findings are discussed.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0005819, ucf:50045
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005819
- Title
- Why They Stop Attending Church: An Exploratory Study of Religious Participation Decline Among Millennials from Conservative Christian Backgrounds.
- Creator
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Chase, Jessica, Gay, David, Grauerholz, Elizabeth, Lynxwiler, John, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Using a grounded theory approach, this study examines the reasons why Millennials from conservative Christian backgrounds stop attending church. The purpose is to understand why attendance attrition is at an all time high for those in the Millennial generation, ages 18 to 29. Data from 18 semi-structured interviews with former attendees demonstrate that this phenomenon is not due to a simplistic list of reasons but is actually a result of a complex development involving varying interrelated...
Show moreUsing a grounded theory approach, this study examines the reasons why Millennials from conservative Christian backgrounds stop attending church. The purpose is to understand why attendance attrition is at an all time high for those in the Millennial generation, ages 18 to 29. Data from 18 semi-structured interviews with former attendees demonstrate that this phenomenon is not due to a simplistic list of reasons but is actually a result of a complex development involving varying interrelated processes. The primary processes at work are cognitive and spiritual disconnection and disengagement for personal wellbeing.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFE0004830, ucf:49698
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004830
- Title
- High School Students Attending College: A Study of the Dual Enrollment Program and its Impact on the Postsecondary Institution of Brevard Community College.
- Creator
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Hiesterman, Matthew, Rivera, Fernando, Gay, David, Grauerholz, Elizabeth, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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This study looks at the dual enrollment program at Brevard Community College in the state of Florida. It uses new interview data to determine if the positive and negative aspects of the program established by the literature still pertain. Four main themes were identified by the study of dual enrollment students and the postsecondary institution: money, quality of students, quantity of students, and opportunities of students and the institution. A discussion of each side of the discourse are...
Show moreThis study looks at the dual enrollment program at Brevard Community College in the state of Florida. It uses new interview data to determine if the positive and negative aspects of the program established by the literature still pertain. Four main themes were identified by the study of dual enrollment students and the postsecondary institution: money, quality of students, quantity of students, and opportunities of students and the institution. A discussion of each side of the discourse are made in order to help the program retain its positive attributes. While quality, quantity, and money are all issues concerning the day to day problems that arise in the program, it would appear that the motivation and reason a student is in the dual enrollment program drastically affects all three of these themes as they have the ability to positively or negatively use the opportunity of being in the program. Recommendations are made which may allow the institution and those involved in the dual enrollment program, specifically the faculty, to run as smoothly, efficiently, and productively as possible.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFE0004862, ucf:49685
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004862
- Title
- Perceptions of Education as an Avenue to Life Course Success: A Study of Millennials.
- Creator
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Smith, Patrick, Gay, David, Lynxwiler, John, Wright, James, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
For more than a half a century the role of education and its influence on social mobility and status attainment has been a subject of research. Further more, education has been shown to be an important contributor for success over the life course. Much of the research surrounding status attainment and higher education has dealt with the Baby Boomer cohort. The purpose of the study is to examine education from a perspective that is less talked about to this point. This study uses data gathered...
Show moreFor more than a half a century the role of education and its influence on social mobility and status attainment has been a subject of research. Further more, education has been shown to be an important contributor for success over the life course. Much of the research surrounding status attainment and higher education has dealt with the Baby Boomer cohort. The purpose of the study is to examine education from a perspective that is less talked about to this point. This study uses data gathered by the Pew Research Center and examines a specific age group, current 18-30 year olds (Millennials), to gather a better understanding of their attitudes towards the value of higher education within the current era of the economy, education, and job opportunity. According to the analysis, females report higher odds of feeling that a college degree is important to success later in life. Equally important, results indicate that Blacks have greater odds of perceiving education to be important for success in life. Results also demonstrated that in this particular study, other factors such as income and employment status did not significantly affect respondent's perceptions on the importance of education.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFE0005263, ucf:50572
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005263
- Title
- Domestic Stalking, Violation of Protective Orders, and Homicide in Chicago: The Influence of Social Disorganization and Gender Inequality.
- Creator
-
Sacra, Sarah, Corzine, Harold, Huff-Corzine, Lin, Gay, David, McCutcheon, James, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Domestic violence has been considered a serious issue for many decades. This problem manifests itself physically, sexually, and emotionally and can affect anyone. However, most of the domestic violence literature focuses specifically on physical intimate partner violence. Various theoretical frameworks have been utilized to explain the occurrence of domestic violence including social disorganization theory and gender inequality. These explanations are limited, however, with the former...
Show moreDomestic violence has been considered a serious issue for many decades. This problem manifests itself physically, sexually, and emotionally and can affect anyone. However, most of the domestic violence literature focuses specifically on physical intimate partner violence. Various theoretical frameworks have been utilized to explain the occurrence of domestic violence including social disorganization theory and gender inequality. These explanations are limited, however, with the former primarily extended to physical assault and the latter focusing on violence against women. This study is important as it extends our knowledge of how these two perspectives can be applied to domestic violence through the analysis of domestic stalking, violation of protective orders, and homicide at a structural level. Incident data for these crimes that occurred in 2016 were obtained from the Chicago data portal and demographic data were obtained from the 2016 American Community Survey's 5-year estimates. Univariate, multivariate, and spatial analyses were conducted at the census tract level to determine the associations between the two theoretical frameworks and each crime. Statistical results indicate that social disorganization theory and gender inequality can partially explain the occurrence of domestic stalking, violation of protective orders, and homicide. Concentrated disadvantage was one of the most consistent predictors of domestic violence, but the direction of the relationship varied across models. There were significant gender inequality factors, but the directions also varied. Spatial results demonstrate clustering of the crimes in areas characterized by increased social disorganization as well as areas possessive of certain indicators of gender inequality. This study is unique as it employed both social disorganization and gender inequality frameworks at a structural level, employed various spatial analysis and mapping techniques, and it analyzed understudied acts of domestic violence to set precedent and open doors for future inquiry.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFE0007089, ucf:51936
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007089
- Title
- A Look at Jail-Based Reentry Programs.
- Creator
-
Weller, Mindy, Corzine, Harold, Ford, Jason, Gay, David, Potter, Roberto, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Over the years correctional-based reentry programs have gained the attention of academics and government officials alike. Academic research has focused primarily on programs implemented in prisons and juvenile facilities. Reentry programs operating out of jails have been vastly under represented amongst these studies. This research study works towards closing this gap by examining jail-based reentry programs by observing the influences of age, race, gender, level of offense (misdemeanor...
Show moreOver the years correctional-based reentry programs have gained the attention of academics and government officials alike. Academic research has focused primarily on programs implemented in prisons and juvenile facilities. Reentry programs operating out of jails have been vastly under represented amongst these studies. This research study works towards closing this gap by examining jail-based reentry programs by observing the influences of age, race, gender, level of offense (misdemeanor/felony), and program completion on recidivism. Findings were measured for both those who participated but did not complete the programs and those who successfully completed the programs. Data from three jail-based reentry programs in Florida were first analyzed using a Chi-square test and then through binary logistic regression. Determining the strength of the relationships between the independent variables facilitated contextualization of the binary logistic regression results. The results of this research are discussed, and additional directions for future jail-based reentry research are presented.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- CFE0004456, ucf:49359
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004456
- Title
- Les Temps Roulent: An Analysis of Emergency Medical and Police Response Times to Shootings and Lethality in New Orleans.
- Creator
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Sacra, Sarah, Corzine, Harold, Huff-Corzine, Lin, Gay, David, McCutcheon, James, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Lethality of aggravated assaults has long been discussed in terms of weapons used, location of assault, demographics of victims, and regions of the US in which the assault occurred. However, dating back to the 1950s, medical response times have been discussed as a mediating factor, but minimally explored in analyses. The current study assesses the lethality of shootings with a primary focus on emergency medical and police response times in New Orleans, LA. Along with routine activities and...
Show moreLethality of aggravated assaults has long been discussed in terms of weapons used, location of assault, demographics of victims, and regions of the US in which the assault occurred. However, dating back to the 1950s, medical response times have been discussed as a mediating factor, but minimally explored in analyses. The current study assesses the lethality of shootings with a primary focus on emergency medical and police response times in New Orleans, LA. Along with routine activities and social disorganization indicators, 102 shootings that occurred in 3 months are analyzed to establish response time patterns of lethality. Results indicate that neither medical nor police response times impact the odds of a victim surviving a shooting, but instead, it is the days on which the violent encounters occur and the socioeconomic characteristics of the neighborhood that have a stronger influence on life or death, although not statistically significant. Limitations and future research directions are discussed.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0005881, ucf:50877
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005881
- Title
- The Dimensions of Social Capital.
- Creator
-
Webster, Richard, Wright, James, Grauerholz, Elizabeth, Carter, James, Gay, David, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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This study called into question the rationale and methods used by researchers used to measure levels of social capital, particularly Putnam (1995), Paxton (1999), and Park (2006). A central purpose to this study was to partially replicate and extend the work of Park, who theoretically derived four dimensions of social capital. I develop measures of each dimension and then regress each on the variables of age, sex, race, ethnicity, marital status, education, income, and religiosity. This...
Show moreThis study called into question the rationale and methods used by researchers used to measure levels of social capital, particularly Putnam (1995), Paxton (1999), and Park (2006). A central purpose to this study was to partially replicate and extend the work of Park, who theoretically derived four dimensions of social capital. I develop measures of each dimension and then regress each on the variables of age, sex, race, ethnicity, marital status, education, income, and religiosity. This created four sets of outcomes from which I drew conclusions about the dimensionality of the social capital concept. Based on the low percentage of variance explained by the models and the fact that many coefficients reverse signs from one model to the next, I conclude that these dimensions do not represent four parts of a single, underlying construct. This was counter to both Paxton and Park's conclusions. The results of this study also offer a way to examine the effects of subgroups on each dimension. In addition, Park's hypothesis of (")coffeeing together(") was tested and found to be inconsistent with the descriptive results. Recommendations were made for future applications of social capital research and an alternative hypothesis was cited as a promising way to conduct subsequent studies.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFE0004771, ucf:49793
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004771
- Title
- The Social Function of For-Profit Higher Education in the United States.
- Creator
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Baird, Andrew, Carter, J. Scott, Carter, Shannon, Gay, David, Roos, J., University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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This study uses the competing Burton Clark's (")Cooling Out Theory(") and Daniel Bell's (")Theory of the Postindustrial Economy(") to examine the function that for-profit colleges and universities (FPCUs) play in American higher education and how it is different from non-profit traditional colleges and universities (TCUs). This was done through three sections of analysis. The first examined if students who enroll at these FPCUs are less academically prepared than those attending non-profit...
Show moreThis study uses the competing Burton Clark's (")Cooling Out Theory(") and Daniel Bell's (")Theory of the Postindustrial Economy(") to examine the function that for-profit colleges and universities (FPCUs) play in American higher education and how it is different from non-profit traditional colleges and universities (TCUs). This was done through three sections of analysis. The first examined if students who enroll at these FPCUs are less academically prepared than those attending non-profit traditional colleges or universities. The second tested if academic preparedness is associated with postsecondary performance at FPCUs to the same degree it is at TCUs. The final section of analysis looked at FPCU graduates to see if they have different short-term job outcomes when compared to traditional college graduates. This research utilizes The Beginning Postsecondary Survey 2009- a restricted-use longitudinal data set produced by the National Center for Education Statistics that followed 16,700 first-time college enrollees from 2003 until 2009. This data set includes information on student demographics, academic performance, enrollment history, and job outcomes. The results of this study indicated that when compared to traditional college students, FPCU students are less likely to be academically prepared for college and are more frequently characterized by risk factors that previous research has shown makes it less likely they will complete their degree. This research also found that unlike TCUs, high school academic performance is not associated with post-secondary performance or likelihood of degree attainment at FPCUs. Finally, it was observed that FPCU graduates were less likely to have jobs related to their degree and earned less income than TCU graduates, but had about the same degree of job satisfaction.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0005761, ucf:50096
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005761
