published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

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Suicide in the South African Police Service is a reality. The inability to cope effectively with stressful events in a working environment could lead to chronic stress, burnout and even suicide. The purpose of this research was to establish the current level of suicide ideation in police officials in the KwaZulu-Natal Province. Secondly, the purpose was to determine the relationship between coping and stress, and thirdly, whether these factors could he used to predict suicide ideation of police officials in the Kwazulu-Natal Province. A cross-sectional survey design was used to achieve the research objectives. The study population consisted of 272 uniformed police officials in the KwaZulu-Natal Province. The following measuring battery was used: a biographical questionnaire, the Adult Suicide Ideation Questionnaire, COPE Questionnaire, and the Police Stress Inventory. Descriptive statistics (e.g. standard deviations, means, skewness and kurtosis) and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. Cronbach alpha coefficients, inter-item correlation coefficients and confirmatory factor analysis were used to assess the reliability and validity of the measuring battery. Discriminant analysis was used to determine which variables could be used to predict suicide ideation. The results indicated that 9 (3,30%) of the uniformed police officials have significant suicide ideation levels and that 11 (4,15%) police officials in the KwaZulu-Natal Province have attempted suicide in the past. No difference was found between the suicide ideation of males and females. A positive correlation between suicide ideation, police-specific stressors, as well as problem-focused coping, passive coping and social support was found. The results also indicated correlations between suicide ideation, medical condition and alcohol abuse, where stress because of lack of resources was identified as the primary stressor that caused alcohol abuse. The results also indicate that stress caused by job demands and lack of resources as well as police-specific stressors, problem-focused coping, passive coping and social support could be used to classify police officials into groups of high and low suicide ideation. Recommendations with regard to the improvement of the South African Police Service, as well as for future research were made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

Despite the minimum legal drinking age of 21, many underage persons regularly purchase alcohol from licensed alcohol establishments. The purpose of this study was to determine the establishment, geographic, and community economic and demographic characteristics that are associated with illegal sales of alcohol to underage persons in Georgia. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine factors that were associated with illegal sales of alcohol to underage persons of Georgia. Statistical adjustments were made for ownership type (e.g., corporate owned), region (e.g., southeast Georgia, metro-Atlanta), rural vs. urban area, and many community economic and demographic variables (e.g., unemployment rate, minority populations). Overall, underage subjects attempted to purchase alcohol in 2949 off-premise establishments from July of 2007 to June of 2008. Compared to corporate-owned establishments, institutions not owned by corporations were associated with increased odds of alcohol sale to underage persons, adjusting for other independent variables. Establishments that are located in counties with a high density of alcohol outlets were much more likely to sell alcohol to underage persons. To reduce underage drinking in Georgia, beverage law enforcement should increase monitoring of non-corporate owned establishments and areas with a high density of alcohol outlets. Overall, responsible beverage service training of both corporate and non-corporate employees may help in reducing alcohol sales to underage persons in Georgia.

Law enforcement on academic campuses can be a physically demanding profession. Law enforcement officers (LEOs) may be required to perform a variety of physical tasks. Identifying which physical fitness characteristics are associated with these tasks will guide the development of appropriate and effective exercise programs. Therefore the purpose of this study was to identify physical fitness and demographic characteristics associated with the occupational physical ability of university LEOs. Sixteen male LEOs (age: 33.1±8.7 yr.; body mass: 87.2±11.2 kg; height: 178.9±7.9 cm) performed an officer physical ability test (OPAT) that simulated a foot chase of a suspect. In addition, the officers completed a battery of physical fitness tests that assessed aerobic and anaerobic capacity, muscular endurance, strength, power, flexibility, agility, and body composition. The OPAT was correlated with agility, upper body muscular endurance and strength, torso endurance, lower body power, aerobic endurance, and relative body composition (p<0.05). In addition, the OPAT was correlated with the following demographic and anthropometric variables: age, work experience, and waist and abdominal circumferences (p<0.05). In conclusion, tactical strength and conditioning professionals must design exercise programs for university LEOs to improve multiple components of physical fitness and focus on weight management.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine law enforcement officers' perception of factors within the workplace that influence transfer of training and their perception of the organization being a learning organization. The study actually had three parts. First, it intended to investigate the perception of law enforcement officers regarding factors within their work environment that influence or impede the transfer of training process (specifically, organizational support and transfer climate/culture). Second, it intended to determine the perception of law enforcement officers concerning the promotion of their organization's learning practices, learning culture, and the continuous learning environment at an individual, team, and organizational level (a learning organization). Lastly, it intended to determine if there was a difference in the perception of law enforcement officers related to transfer of training and a learning organization utilizing the variables of rank, posting, gender, years of service, and age. The participants included law enforcement officers within a Caribbean police department. The two theories employed as the theoretical framework for this study are the training transfer process model by Baldwin and Ford (1988) and the Watkins and Marsick's (1997) framework of learning organization, the dimensions of learning organization. Data was collected using qualitative and quantitative methods (focus groups and a paper and pencil version of the Dimension of Learning Organization - A). A pilot study was conducted to establish the integrity of the data collection methods and evaluate the viability of the focus groups. The conclusions that emerged from this research indicated that subordinates and management did not perceive the organization as one that provided support for transfer of training within the work environment. As it relates to the officers' perception of their organization as one that promotes a learning practices and culture, the law enforcement officers had a neutral perception of the organization as one that promoted learning practices, learning culture, and continuous learning at an individual level (group mean = 3.26 with a standard deviation of 0.91). As it relates to the team or group level, the law enforcement officers had a neutral perception of the organization as one that promoted learning practices, learning culture, and continuous learning (group mean = 3.10 with a standard deviation of 1.12). As it relates to the organizational level, the law enforcement officers had a neutral perception of the organization as one that promoted learning practices, learning culture, and continuous learning at an organizational level (group mean = 3.40 with a standard deviation of 1.07). However, this does not mean that the officer's individual scores were in this range.

Suicide in the South African Police Service is a reality. The inability to cope effectively with stressful events in a working environment could lead to chronic stress, burnout and even suicide. The purpose of this research was to establish the current level of suicide ideation in police officials in the KwaZulu-Natal Province. Secondly, the purpose was to determine the relationship between coping and stress, and thirdly, whether these factors could he used to predict suicide ideation of police officials in the Kwazulu-Natal Province. A cross-sectional survey design was used to achieve the research objectives. The study population consisted of 272 uniformed police officials in the KwaZulu-Natal Province. The following measuring battery was used: a biographical questionnaire, the Adult Suicide Ideation Questionnaire, COPE Questionnaire, and the Police Stress Inventory. Descriptive statistics (e.g. standard deviations, means, skewness and kurtosis) and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. Cronbach alpha coefficients, inter-item correlation coefficients and confirmatory factor analysis were used to assess the reliability and validity of the measuring battery. Discriminant analysis was used to determine which variables could be used to predict suicide ideation. The results indicated that 9 (3,30%) of the uniformed police officials have significant suicide ideation levels and that 11 (4,15%) police officials in the KwaZulu-Natal Province have attempted suicide in the past. No difference was found between the suicide ideation of males and females. A positive correlation between suicide ideation, police-specific stressors, as well as problem-focused coping, passive coping and social support was found. The results also indicated correlations between suicide ideation, medical condition and alcohol abuse, where stress because of lack of resources was identified as the primary stressor that caused alcohol abuse. The results also indicate that stress caused by job demands and lack of resources as well as police-specific stressors, problem-focused coping, passive coping and social support could be used to classify police officials into groups of high and low suicide ideation. Recommendations with regard to the improvement of the South African Police Service, as well as for future research were made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

This study engages in a conceptual analysis of human rights in Islam and international law, and the application of this analytical discourse to explore the nature of women's human rights in the Islamic tradition. It has been argued that women's human rights in Islam are not entirely irreconcilable with current formulations of international human rights instruments emanating from the United Nations. The basic premise of the argument stems from a recognition that the Islamic legal tradition is not a monolithic entity. On the basis of its main sources, namely the Quran, Hadith, Ijma and Qiyas, Islamic law lends itself to a variety of interpretations that have far reaching implications for women's human rights in Islam. (Part I)A further factor raised in this study is the disparity between the theoretical perspectives on women's human rights, and, its application to Muslim jurisdictions determined by elements of cultural practices, socio-economic realities and political expediencies on the part of governments. The present study uses the example of Pakistan to demonstrate the divergence between theory and practice of Islamic law in these jurisdictions. The concept of what has been termed an emerging 'operative' Islamic law, consisting of a combination of elements including principles of Islamic law, secular codes of law and popular custom and usage has also been introduced. (Part II)Part III of the thesis is devoted to an evaluation of the development of the international norm of non-discrimination on the basis of sex and some 'Islamic' human rights documents affecting women's human rights. The analysis provides an insight into the response of Muslim States to international human rights instruments affecting women through a discussion in the light of reservations to the Women's Convention. The study concludes by posing the question whether a move towards convergence between international and Islamic schemes of women's human rights is discernible or not.

This Thesis will consider the development of the traditional bill of lading from its origins, which appear to be much older than previously considered, up to the present day. The development of the bill of lading will be examined in order to answer basic questions: what is a traditional bill of lading, and what functions does it perform. In Part I of the Thesis the development of the three main functions of the traditional bill will be considered, namely receipt, contract, document of title. It will conclude with observations on the nature of the traditional bill of lading and how it differs from the early form of the bill of lading. Part II of the Thesis will then consider the development and nature of related shipping documents (charterparty bills, received for shipment bills, non-transferable bills), how far these documents perform the functions of the traditional bill of lading, and whether they can be truly described as bills of lading. Part II will then go on to consider the development and nature of electronic bills of lading and assess how well such bills perform the functions of the traditional bill of lading. The Thesis will conclude that although most of the functions of the traditional bill are in effect performed by electronic bills, electronic bills are in fact a new type of bill of lading and not merely a traditional bill in an electronic format. Conclusions will then be drawn as to what effect the development of new types of bill of lading will have on the future of the traditional bill of lading in the maritime industry.