scholarly journals Public Vulnerability to the Police: A Quantitative Inquiry

2021 ◽  
pp. 009385482110084
Author(s):  
Joseph A. Hamm ◽  
Rosalind Searle ◽  
James D. Carr ◽  
Louie Rivers

The recent protests regarding the state of policing in the United States clearly demonstrate that how the police do their job creates a salient potential for harm to the public. This study applies a multidimensional paradigm of risk perception to quantify evaluations of police-caused harm. Using data from a national (U.S.) convenience sample ( n = 1,890) that oversampled individuals who self-identified as black or Muslim, we tested whether these evaluations vary systematically (using confidence intervals), whether they covary with police legitimacy (using structural equation modeling), and the extent to which that covariance differs by demographic status (using multiple groups structural equation modeling). Our results suggest that black and Muslim individuals evaluate police-caused harm differently than do majority group members (white and Christian) on most, but not all, of the measured dimensions. We also find that those evaluations are predictive of trust and provide evidence of some level of consistency across communities.

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Niyi Israel Akeke ◽  
◽  
Adenike Rita Akeke ◽  
Ayodeji Muyideen Awolaj ◽  
Mathew Olufemi Oyebanji

The study explores the potential influences of strategic orientation constructs of entrepreneurial, market and technology orientations on telecommunication firms’ performance using data obtained through structured questionnaires from 57 line managers and 300 customers of these firms. The data collected were subjected to the structural equation modeling technique. The results revealed that strategic orientation has a positive significant relationship with firm performance. Specifically, it showed that only technology orientation has a significant influence on telecommunication firms’ performance. The study contributes to the understanding of the rationale behind which set of strategic orientations should be implemented for improved level of performance in the telecommunication sector.


Journalism ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 1107-1124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toni G.L.A. van der Meer ◽  
Piet Verhoeven ◽  
Johannes W.J. Beentjes ◽  
Rens Vliegenthart

As gatekeepers, journalists have the power to select the sources that get a voice in crisis coverage. The aim of this study is to find out how journalists select sources during a crisis. In a survey, journalists were asked how they assess the following sources during an organizational crisis: news agencies, an organization undergoing a crisis, and the general public. The sample consisted of 214 Dutch experienced journalists who at least once covered a crisis. Using structural equation modeling, sources’ likelihood of being included in the news was predicted using five source characteristics: credibility, knowledge, willingness, timeliness, and the relationship with the journalist. Findings indicated that during a crisis, news agencies are most likely to be included in the news, followed by the public, and finally the organization. The significance of the five source characteristics is dependent on source type. For example, to be used in the news, news agencies and organizations should be mainly evaluated as knowledgeable, whereas information from the public should be both credible and timely. In addition, organizations should not be seen as too willing or too eager to communicate. The findings imply that, during a crisis, journalists remain critical gatekeepers; however, they rely mainly on familiar sources.


Vaccines ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 582 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kendall Pogue ◽  
Jamie L. Jensen ◽  
Carter K. Stancil ◽  
Daniel G. Ferguson ◽  
Savannah J. Hughes ◽  
...  

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the world, with the United States being highly affected. A vaccine provides the best hope for a permanent solution to controlling the pandemic. However, to be effective, a vaccine must be accepted and used by a large majority of the population. The aim of this study was to understand the attitudes towards and obstacles facing vaccination with a potential COVID-19 vaccine. To measure these attitudes a survey was administered to 316 respondents across the United States by a survey corporation. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the relationships of several factors with attitudes toward potential COVID-19 vaccination. Prior vaccine usage and attitudes predicted attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination. Assessment of the severity of COVID-19 for the United States was also predictive. Approximately 68% of all respondents were supportive of being vaccinated for COVID-19, but side effects, efficacy and length of testing remained concerns. Longer testing, increased efficacy and development in the United States were significantly associated with increased vaccine acceptance. Messages promoting COVID-19 vaccination should seek to alleviate the concerns of those who are already vaccine-hesitant. Messaging directed at the benefits of vaccination for the United States as a country would address the second predictive factor. Enough time should be taken to allay concerns about both short- and long-term side effects before a vaccine is released.


2016 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 633-638 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hsien-Yuan Hsu ◽  
Tze-Li Hsu ◽  
KoFan Lee ◽  
Lori Wolff

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the construct validity of Ryff’s Scales of Psychological Well-Being (SPWB) using exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM). The data were drawn from the national survey of Midlife in the United States conducted during 1994 and 1995. Measurement models assuming different number of factors (1-6 factors) and considering the effect of negatively wording items were specified and compared to determine optimal number of underlying factors. The discriminant validity was assessed following Farrell’s suggestions. The results showed the discriminant validity was questionable due to five indicators with considerable cross-loadings.


2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexa J Singer ◽  
Cecilia Chouhy ◽  
Peter S Lehmann ◽  
Jessica N Stevens ◽  
Marc Gertz

Using data from the 2012 AmericasBarometer survey collected in nine Latin American countries ( n =  14,705), this study examines two theoretically relevant potential sources of punitiveness: economic anxiety and fear of crime. Focusing on these two sources, we explore whether the public opinion dynamics often highlighted by punitiveness scholars also apply to the Latin American context and can thus be of value to explain recent movements towards punitive policies in that region. Generalized Structural Equation Modeling (GSEM) and bootstrapping are used to assess the direct effects of perceived national and personal economic insecurity on punitive sentiments as well as the indirect effects of these attitudes on punitiveness through fear of crime during a time of reduced economic growth, increased economic inequality, and harsh criminal justice policies. Results show that economic anxieties are positively associated with fear of crime, though their effects on support for increased punishments are mixed. Additionally, the effects of economic insecurity on punitiveness are partially mediated by fear of crime, supporting theoretical notions that insecurity produces fear of crime and subsequently influences punitiveness.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen J. Aragon ◽  
Liana J. Richardson ◽  
Wanda Lawrence ◽  
Sabina B. Gesell

Objective. This study examined to what degree patient-centeredness—measured as an underlying ability of obstetrical nurses—influenced Medicaid patients’ satisfaction with care in hospital obstetrical units.Design. Multigroup structural equation modeling design, using three cross-sectional random samples (n=300each) from the 2003 Press Ganey National Inpatient Database.Setting. Self-administered mail surveys.Participants. 900 Medicaid recipients recently discharged from inpatient hospital obstetrical units across the United States.Methods. Multigroup structural equation modeling was used to test the goodness of fit between a hypothesized model based on the Primary Provider Theory and patients’ ratings of nurses.Results. The model fitted the data well, was stable across three random samples, and was sustained when compared to a competing model. The patient-centeredness of nurses significantly influenced overall patient satisfaction and explained 66% of its variability. When nurses’ patient-centeredness increased by one standard deviation, patients’ satisfaction increased by 0.80 standard deviation.Conclusion. This study offers a novel approach to the measurement of the patient-centeredness of nurses and a paradigm for increasing it and its influence on Medicaid patients’ satisfaction in hospital obstetrical units.


2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-26
Author(s):  
Drina Intyaswati ◽  
Supratman Supratman

Along with the development of technology and mass media, Change.org appears in the form of websites that become to a medium for the forming of the public opinion, raising the opinions through campaigns that seeks the support of public opinion raised. This study to confirm how age and education level influencing the form of perceptions and public opinion through Change.org. This research using survey with explanitative approach, a research sampling are 200 people from Change.org users was taken with multistage cluster sampling technique with population at DKI Jakarta area. Data analysis using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results show that age and education do not affect perception and also public opinion forming. This shows that with internet-based media the acceptance of information becomes more similar and individual differences, especially age and education, are not to be an obstacle in adjusting existing public opinion.Keywords: age, education, change.org, perception, public opinion. ABSTRAKSeiring dengan perkembangan teknologi dan media massa, Change.org muncul dalam bentuk situs yang menjadi media pembentukan opini publik, penggalangan opini dilakukan melalui kampanye yang berusaha meminta dukungan terhadap opini publik yang dimunculkan. Penelitian ini bertujuan mencari apakah usia dan Pendidikan berpengaruh terhadap pembentukan persepsi dan opini publik melalui media Change.org. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian survey yang bersifat eksplanatif, dengan sampel sejumlah 200 orang dari pengguna Change.org dengan pengambilan sample menggunakan teknik cluster sampling bertahap dari populasi di area DKI Jakarta. Analisis data menggunakan Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Hasilnya menyatakan bahwa usia dan pendidikan tidak berpengaruh terhadap pembentukan persepsi dan juga opini publik. Hal ini menunjukkan dengan adanya media berbasis internet penerimaan informasi menjadi lebih seragam dan perbedaan individu khususnya usia dan pendidikan tidak menjadi kendala dalam penyesuaian opini publik yang ada.Kata kunci: change.org, opini publik, pendidikan, persepsi, usia


2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian K. Collins ◽  
Hyun Joon Kim ◽  
Jie Tao

Citizen satisfaction is a popular means of performance management. It underscores a common conception that citizens are customers who are concerned about the quality of public goods and services. We offer a theory that suggests the quantity of public goods and services is also important. We develop our theory based on democratic models of the public where citizens are concerned about equity and accessibility to public goods and services. Using data from two municipal surveys and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), we test three hypotheses and find that both quality and quantity of public service provision are significant antecedents to citizen satisfaction. In our conclusion, we explain how these results call for a more complex conceptualization of the performance associated with managing for citizen satisfaction, and we recommend public managers develop and employ skills that recognize the complex consumptive and democratic attributes of citizens in a public economy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 239920262110647
Author(s):  
Oluka Pross Nagitta ◽  
Marcia Mkansi ◽  
Sylvia Desire Nyesiga ◽  
George William Kajjumba

Introduction: Malaria is a killer disease in the tropical environment; artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) play a central role in treating malaria. Thus, the supply and presence of ACT drugs in hospitals are a key feature in the fight against malaria. Supply chain management literature has focused on the private sector, and less attention has been paid to the public sector, especially hospitals. Aim: This study uses an interdisciplinary lens in investigating how to boost the supply and distribution of ACTs to save lives in low-income countries, specifically in Uganda. Methodology: The study adopted a quantitative research design using a questionnaire as the data collection instrument. Of the 440-population size, 304 of the sample population participated in the study. The model was estimated using structural equation modeling (SEM) to establish the causal relationship among the variables. Results: From the SEM analysis, all the hypotheses were significant at p < 0.05. The availability of ACTs is strongly affected by strategic dimensions (0.612), followed by operation dimensions (0.257); strategic determinants significantly affect operational determinants by a magnitude of 0.599. The indirect influence of the strategic determinants via operational determinants on the availability of ACTs is not significant. Overall, the factors explained 63.9% of the observed variance in the availability of ACTs, and the ACT availability can be predicted as follows: ACT availability = 0.612 × strategic determinants + 0.256 × operation determinants. Top management commitment and organizational responsiveness are among the items that positively affect the availability of ACTs. Conclusion: Strategically, hospital management should invest in cheap technology and software to minimize the unavailability of medicines. Our research suggests that strategic and operational determinants should be integrated into the hospitals’ core business and implemented by the top management. The article contributes to theoretical and policy direction in the public sector medicine supply chain, specifically in public hospitals.


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