A SINGLE REGRET is a murder mystery set on the post Hurricane Sandy Jersey shore. At thirteen, Jimmy Miller killed his father in retribution for murdering his mother. Twenty years later, he returns home because of the murder of his childhood best friend, Dillon Abernathy. Jimmy learns that Gavin, a classmate turned junkie, is charged with murdering Dillon, a scenario Jimmy doesn’t find plausible, so he decides to pursue leads the police won’t. Told in first person past tense, A SINGLE REGRET follows Jimmy as he unearths the secrets behind his friend’s death and also learns the truth behind the destruction of his own family. As in Dennis Lehane’s Mystic River, the novel examines how childhood ties shape perceptions in ways that are both true and false. Jimmy is forced to evaluate his own sense of bitterness and learn how to forgive his own mistakes and those of others.

Sexual assault and abuse have a significant impact on victims and society. Although there has been a plethora of research studies examining the criminogenic aspects of sexual offending, sparse literature exists on the emotional aspects of sexual offending. Prior research established that sex offenders hold deficits in their emotional functioning that could be a result of psychopathic personality traits. This research study sought to expand the literature on sex offenders and investigate if adult male sex offenders in New Jersey differ in emotional intelligence and psychopathic personality traits depending on victim typology. This study was grounded in coercion and integrated theories to explore if there are differences between the emotional intelligence and psychopathic personality traits of adult male sex offenders in New Jersey who have adult victims and child victims. The research questions asked if adult male sex offenders in New Jersey with adult victims differ in emotional intelligence and psychopathic personality traits than adult male sex offenders with child victims. Data were collected from a sample of 80 adult sex offenders located in New Jersey who were administered the Bar-On EQ-I and PPI-R. Results were analyzed using a multivariate analysis of variance. The findings of the study showed that when compared to convicted sex offenders with adult victims, convicted sex offenders with child victims had higher total and subscale scores on the EQ-I and lower scores on the three dimensions of the PPI-R. The implications for positive social change include helping to tailor treatment programs to reduce the risk of recidivism based off the identified offender emotional intelligence and psychopathic personality differences.

The question of whether increased funding pursuant to equity and adequacy court decisions has improved academic performance of at-risk students has sparked a lively and spirited debate. The landmark New Jersey case of Abbott v. Burke has been at the center of this debate. In Abbott, the New Jersey Supreme Court held that students in twenty-eight (28) “special needs” districts must receive the same funding per pupil as students in the two highest socio-economic district factor groups in the State. 149 N.J. 145 (1997) (Abbott IV). The question of whether the redistribution of State aid pursuant to Abbott IV has been efficiently and effectively managed has dominated public policy debates on education in New Jersey for the last two decades. The research questions are: 1. Did the court orders in Abbott v. Burke and subsequent reform policies adopted by the state in response to these orders increase funding and resources for economically disadvantaged students in the Abbott districts? 2. Have increased resources from Abbott v. Burke directly reached students in the classroom through enhanced instruction and student support services? 3. Have Abbott v. Burke and ensuing State reform policies improved the academic performance of economically disadvantaged students as compared to analogous low socioeconomic and working-class students in districts that are not covered by the court decision? 4. Have a specific set of programs and reforms, including intensive early literacy programs in the elementary grades mandated by the State pursuant to Abbott v. Burke been effective for at-risk students in Abbott districts? My study proceeds from descriptive analyses of revenues by source and expenditures per pupil by function to quasi-experimental models. My primary causal analyses involved applying a difference-in-differences (DD) approach using expenditures per pupil, student teacher ratio, state standardized assessment scores for fourth, eighth, and eleventh grade; SAT Verbal and Math district averages; and Graduating with the Class as outcomes. My secondary causal analyses entailed a comparative interrupted time series (CITS) approach using state standardized assessment scores for eleventh grades, SAT scores, graduation rates, and post high plans as outcomes. After an exhaustive study, wherein I built one of the most comprehensive district-level databases in the nation and utilized over twenty-five measures, I find that Abbott v. Burke as an intervention has strong positive effects on education spending, student performance (in the early stages), and the learning environment. Abbott v. Burke had a strong positive effect on education spending from the time the seminal case was decided in 1997 up until to the present date. The fact that Abbott districts are expending more on student support services per pupil in FY 17 than all other socio-economic districts across the State in raw dollars ($2,477) and on a percentage basis (12.7 percent) indicates that increased resources from Abbott v. Burke directly reach students through enhanced student support services. In New Jersey, increased funding and reform policies pursuant to the line of Abbott v. Burke court decisions has improved the academic performance of economically disadvantaged student in the Abbott districts as compared to low socioeconomic and working-class non-Abbott districts. The DD model suggests that Abbott IV increased the proficiency levels on fourth grade reading assessments of Abbott districts as compared to low socioeconomic districts between school year 1997-98 and 2001-02 (p<0.01). The DD model suggests that the IEL program increased fourth grade reading proficiency scores of the Abbott districts who were “high and medium implementers” of this policy as compared to low socioeconomic districts. In a confirmation that the IEL program is effective, the DD model also implies that the IEL program increased fourth grade reading proficiency scores of the Abbott districts who were “low implementers” of this policy as compared to low socioeconomic districts. Abbott IV increased the number of students in Abbott districts enrolling in two-year colleges as compared to low socioeconomic or working class districts between school year 1997-98 and 2001-02 means that Abbott students are more cognizant of the opportunities to attend college.

The New Jersey 2011 Adequate Yearly Progress report revealed that 53% (n = 75) of state schools that failed to meet standards were put on a 'priority school' list. The 2015 priority school list consisted of 66 schools. In response, New Jersey created Regional Achievement Centers to provide collaborative professional development (PD) for effective instruction in the lowest performing schools. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of priority schoolteachers regarding experiences with past PD initiatives and PD under the current Elementary and Secondary Education Act flexibility waiver focusing on collaborative approaches that include job-embedded coaching and teacher networks. The research questions were germane to attempts to address failing schools through PD. The conceptual framework guiding the study was Fullan's educational change theory in which teachers learn by collaborating with other teachers and coaches. Through snowball sampling, 8 priority schoolteachers participated in semistructured in-depth interviews using an online conferencing tool. Data were analyzed by Moustakas' modified version of van Kaam's method. Participants did not perceive that past PD attempts addressed the needs of failing schools. Key findings regarding job-embedded coaching and teacher networks were that support given by coaches strengthened the participants' instructional practice, and teacher networks enabled the participants to collaboratively learn from each other. Positive social change may occur as district and school officials include teachers in PD planning. Adapting PD in this manner may improve implementation of PD initiatives for classroom instruction to increase student achievement.

This thesis explores the relationship between architecture, cultural identity, and context in a pluralistic reality, focusing on the context of Indian temple complexes in the American suburb of Jersey City. It argues that Architecture becomes alienating when its form and function do not reflect the culture of its occupants, resulting in inflexible and un-adaptable spaces. Traditional temple complexes in India serve as examples where space is activated daily, expressing authentic cultural symbols that emerge from the community's experiences and demand for expression. However, With the increasing prevalence of Indian culture in American cities, insular temples so thoroughly commit to traditional authenticity to such an extent that they lose the ability to self define and relate to their surrounding context. By analyzing customs and traditions, this thesis emphasizes on the importance to reinterpret and incorporate them into contemporary architectural terms, rather than merely adapting traditional forms, The project proposes a contemporary design intervention for the Indian community in Jersey City's India Square, aiming to provide a space that represents their cultural identity while engaging with the broader American narrative. By studying the principles of a temple in a secular way and integrating elements that represent the Indian community, the design seeks to create an immersive experience for visitors and foster a stronger sense of community and connection to the built environment. Through an exploration of architectural design processes, historical context, and community engagement, the thesis aims to demonstrate how architecture can respect existing conditions, relate to current needs, and provide opportunities for expansion and adaptive reuse. Through the integration of archetypal experiences and rituals related to the site's festive celebrations, it creates a dialogue with the surrounding socio-cultural context that also promotes collaboration and inclusivity. / Master of Architecture / The thesis explores the question of how architecture can preserve cultural identity and experience in a foreign context. The thesis explores the challenges of adapting religious architecture in different contexts and the potential loss of authenticity when adhering strictly to traditional forms. The research focuses on Indian temples in the United States, particularly in New Jersey, where Indian culture has become prevalent. It argues that integrated and adaptive temple complexes are more effective and authentic in expressing cultural identity than insular ones, as they allow for a stronger connection with the surrounding context. As a response, this thesis proposes a contemporary design intervention for the Indian community in Jersey City's India Square, aiming to provide a space that represents their cultural identity while engaging with the broader American narrative. By studying the principles of temples in a secular way and integrating elements that explicitly represent the Indian community, the design seeks to create an immersive experience for visitors and foster a stronger sense of community and connection to the built environment. By exploring architectural design processes, historical context, and community engagement, the thesis demonstrates how architecture can cater to community's needs, and provide opportunities for expansion and future reuse.

No description available.

Thesis advisor: Noah P. Snyder / Salt marshes are hotspots for biodiversity, important carbon sinks, pollutant filtration systems, and buffers which strengthen coastal resiliency. Detailed geomorphic and sedimentary observations are vital to understanding the stability and sustainability of salt marshes in response to sediment placement restoration projects. Marsh stability is dependent on the suspended sediment and nutrients that are delivered to the marsh platform by meandering tidal channels. This study observed suspended-sediment fluxes at the mouth of Southeast Creek on Gull Island at Seven Mile Island Innovation Lab in coastal, southern New Jersey. The mesotidal, almost entirely low marsh, southern Gull Island received a recent dredge placement in fall 2020 of approximately 30,600 cubic meters of sediment from the adjacent New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway. Wetland instrumentation platforms to monitor post-dredge conditions were deployed summer 2021 and were removed in summer 2022. This instrumentation measured current velocity and depth time series at all platforms and suspended-sediment concentration using acoustic backscatter techniques at the mouth of Southeast Creek. This study is motivated by understanding the ongoing transport and deposition of dredged material placed on the marsh island. I found that velocities were ebb-dominant during all conditions. Concentrations on the flood phase of the tide were approximately half the magnitude of those seen on the ebb phases of the tide for normal circumstances while elevated concentrations were observed on ebbing and flooding currents for storms. A net export of 6.27 x 105 kg suspended sediment was observed through the tidal channel for all timescales throughout the deployment period. / Thesis (MS) — Boston College, 2023. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Earth and Environmental Sciences.

No description available.

This dissertations studies the problem of military shelter and its impact on the Continental Army’s conduct during the War of American Independence. It examines ideas and practices about military housing during the eighteenth century; how Continental officers sought and obtained lodging for themselves and their men, refinements in military camp administration; how military decisions regarding shelter affected strategy, logistics, and social relationships within the army; as well as how quartering practices structured relations between civilians and the military. This dissertation maintains a geographic focus on Northwestern New Jersey, a region it defines as the Highlands, because this area witnessed a Continental Army presence of greater size and duration than anywhere else in the rebelling Thirteen Colonies. Using official military correspondence, orderly books, diaries, memoirs, civilian damage claims, and archaeological studies, this dissertation reveals that developments in military shelter formed a crucial yet overlooked component of Continental strategy. Patriot soldiers began the war with inadequate housing for operations in the field as well as winter quarters, and their health and morale suffered accordingly. In the second half of the war, Continental officers devised a new method of accommodating their men, the log-hut city. This complex of hastily-built timber huts provided cover for Patriot troops from the winter of 1777-1778 through the end of the war. This method, unknown in Europe, represented an innovation in the art of war. By providing accommodations secure from enemy attack for thousands of soldiers at little cost to the government and little inconvenience to civilians, the log-hut city made a decisive contribution to the success of the Continental Army’s war effort. / History

This study examines how legislated policy, the New Jersey Amistad Bill, and the subsequently created Amistad Commission, shifted the mandated educational landscape in regard to the teaching of social studies in the state of New Jersey—by legislative edict and enforcement, within every class in the state. Through a century of debates, reforms, and legislations, there has been a demand to include the contributions, achievements, and perspectives of people of the African Diaspora that deconstruct the European narrative of history. It is my belief that the formation of an educational public policy that is reflective of the Afrocentric paradigm in its interpretation and operation, such as the Amistad law, with subsequent policy manifestations that result in curriculum development and legalized institutionalization in classrooms across the country is central to creating the curriculum that will neutralize mis-education and will help American students to obtain an understanding of African American agency and the development of our collective history. The Amistad Commission, created by legal mandate in the state of New Jersey in 2002, is groundbreaking because it is a legal decree in educational policymaking that codifies the full infusion and inclusion of African American historical content into New Jersey’s K-12 Social Studies curriculum and statewide Social Studies standards. This infusion, directed by the executive leadership team, is a statewide overhaul and redirection for Social Studies and the Humanities in all grades in every district throughout the state. The Commission’s choice of the Afrocentric theoretical construct—a cultural-intellectual framework that centers the African historical, social, economic, spiritual and political experience as pertains to any intellectual experience involving Africans and people of African descent—as its organizing ethos and central ideology was central in framing the resulting curriculum products and programmatic directives. This study’s conclusive premise in utilization of the Afrocentricity construct is evidenced in the Amistad curriculum’s Afrocentric tenets: de-marginalization of African historical contribution and agency; the importance of voice and first person narrative when transcribing history, and how shifting of —as in, correcting—the entire Eurocentric structure is important. Rather than an additive prescription of historical tokenisms, or a contributive prescription that does not allow for a centralized locality from within the culture, Afrocentricity allows for a cultural ideology when applicable to the Amistad law. Thus the use of Afrocentricity in the implementation of the Amistad law transforms the entire narrative of American history in the state of New Jersey, one of the original thirteen colonies. The study seeks to remedy the void of research as to how the incorporation of the particular theoretical framework of Afrocentricity impacted the decision guiding the policy directives, programmatic and the curriculum outcomes within the implementation of the New Jersey Amistad Commission mandate. The case study asserts that the Afrocentric theory was put into praxis when operationalizing the New Jersey Amistad law and the work of the Amistad Commission. It chronicles the history of similar mandates focused on the incorporation of African American history in American classrooms that led to the Amistad law. It also enumerates the Amistad law’s subsequent operationalization and curriculum development efforts elucidating practical application of the Afrocentric theory. It has direct implications for teacher education, practicing teachers, and policymakers interested in understanding how Afrocentricity and its tenets are paramount in curriculum development efforts, especially as it pertains to New Jersey, New York, and Illinois. These three states have passed legislations that have attempted to proactively remedy their educational policies. The disparities in knowledge and education about African diaspora people in our Social Studies classrooms are targeted by these states. / African American Studies