Legislative scholars examining the use of statutory control to oversee and control bureaucrats have consistently found that the political environment influences the amount of policy-making discretion provided to bureaucrats in legislation. These studies however, have focused predominantly on statutory control decisions made by the U.S. Congress, an institutionally static legislature, or by U.S. state legislators in general legislation over a discrete period of time. These research designs severely limit our understanding of statutory control strategies in addition to the factors other than partisanship that influence legislative decisions. This study builds upon the prevailing research by examining a new dataset of statutory control decisions by state legislators in both general legislation and appropriations bills over six legislative sessions (1997-2007). More specifically, using enacted legislation pertaining to the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) from 1997-1998 through 2007-2008 across all 50 states, I examine how the political and institutional arrangements that vary across states influences statutory control decisions made by legislators, as well as further explore the substantive content of CHIP legislation to bring the discipline one step closer to a more complete understanding of statutory control of bureaucrats.

Legislative scholars examining the use of statutory control to oversee and control bureaucrats have consistently found that the political environment influences the amount of policy-making discretion provided to bureaucrats in legislation. These studies however, have focused predominantly on statutory control decisions made by the U.S. Congress, an institutionally static legislature, or by U.S. state legislators in general legislation over a discrete period of time. These research designs severely limit our understanding of statutory control strategies in addition to the factors other than partisanship that influence legislative decisions. This study builds upon the prevailing research by examining a new dataset of statutory control decisions by state legislators in both general legislation and appropriations bills over six legislative sessions (1997-2007). More specifically, using enacted legislation pertaining to the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) from 1997-1998 through 2007-2008 across all 50 states, I examine how the political and institutional arrangements that vary across states influences statutory control decisions made by legislators, as well as further explore the substantive content of CHIP legislation to bring the discipline one step closer to a more complete understanding of statutory control of bureaucrats.

Violence in American schools has declined significantly over the last two decades but still remains an important topic on the public agenda. This unusual dialectic, driven by the recent increase in extreme cases of violence, has fostered a renewed interest and scholarship in school violence and public policy focused on reducing this phenomenon. At present, schools across the nation are adopting and implementing policies based on past research to combat this new wave of school violence; however, the majority of the research in this area is limited to evaluations of the immediate problem in a localized region, or are a theoretic government reports that focus on correlates over causes and offer little guidance for understanding the policy environment. This dissertation takes a first pass at large-scale quantitative evaluation of violence in schools. I begin by adapting contemporary policy theory and blending it with contextually applicable causal models. I then test three separate aspects of this policy area. First I examine if institutions do have control over extreme behavior within their purview. Second, I examine the organizational covariates with violence. Finally, I examine the policy system including outputs, effects and actor influence within the subsystem. I find that schools are not simply victims of the external environment, but victims of the political environment. There are no substantive reductions in violence associated with any specific prevention measure; however, there are dramatic consequences when school administration or programs focus on this event.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, School of Public and Environmental Affairs, 2007. / Title from dissertation home page (viewed Sept. 25, 2008). Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-02, Section: A, page: 0748. Adviser: Wolfgang Bielefeld.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, Dept. of Economics, 2007. / Title from dissertation home page (viewed Sept. 25, 2008). Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-02, Section: A, page: 0690. Adviser: Eric Rasmusen.

The entire thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pdf file. Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on January 26, 2010) Thesis advisor: Dr. K.C. Morrison. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Syracuse University, 2009. / "Publication number: AAT 3381597."

Thesis (M. P. A.)--Texas State University-San Marcos, 2009. / "Spring 2009." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 128-134).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Rutgers University, 2009. / "Graduate Program in Public Administration." Includes bibliographical references (p. 120-127).

Thesis (doctoral)--Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam, 2008. / Title from e-book title screen (viewed July 28, 2008). Description based on print version record.