Master of Regional and Community Planning / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Larry L. Lawhon / Homelessness is an issue facing numerous communities. Additionally, the increasing number of homeless youth is growing at an alarming rate. One potential solution to combating homelessness is transitional housing programs, and specifically programs aimed at assisting youth. The youth transitional housing program addressed in this research is the Crossroads program located in Lansing, Michigan, serving a tri-county area. This research study evaluates the Crossroads program’s success at preparing youth for independent living. The research questions posed for this study were: 1) What is the Crossroads program doing well to assist youth in transitioning into safe and stable housing? and 2) What does Crossroad’s need to improve upon in order to better help youth prepare for independent living? To answer these questions, data was collected through three one-on-one personal interviews with previous and current Crossroads clients to gather their perspective on the success of the program. Interview participants stated that Crossroads staff is the primary positive aspect of the program. Additionally, interview participants felt the program was good overall and had a positive impact on them, but gave a few suggestions for improvements. Interview responses are summarized and a series of conclusions and recommendations drawn to assist Crossroads in increasing their level of service to future program participants. Recommendations range from beginning the job search earlier, to increasing group activities among clients. Conclusions and recommendations are specifically for the Crossroads program and should not be inferred to be applicable to all youth transitional housing programs.

Master of Science / Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology / Justin Kastner / Food production is changing in response to an expanding global population. The ability to distribute and process ingredients amongst many individuals and countries has brought economic benefits while also creating new problems. By increasing the complexity of the supply chain, the food industry has birthed new dynamics, thus creating new opportunities for contamination, fraud, and other threats. One threat dynamic is the varying levels of food safety and quality control at different nodes along a supply chain. Contaminations pinpoint weaknesses of a supply chain, and such weaknesses could be exploited for harm. One way foods are intentionally contaminated is through food fraud. Food fraud involves substitution, mislabeling, dilution, and other means of criminal deception. Routine testing by an independent science-based group led to the discovery of one the largest scales of substitution and mislabeling in history—the 2013 adulteration of beef products with horsemeat. Commonly referred to as the horsemeat scandal of 2013, this important event in the history of the global food system affected several regions, hundreds of products, and thousands of retailers and consumers. To date, this scandal was one of the largest incidents of food fraud. Mostly based in the European Union, the horsemeat scandal prompted the European Commission to take regulatory action. The European Union’s policy response included the creation of a five-point plan that addresses the different facets associated with the scandal. The five-point plan sought to strengthen food fraud prevention; testing programs; horse passports; official control, implementation, penalties; and origin labelling. The five-point plan is intended to decrease the fraud opportunity for the adulteration of beef with horsemeat. According to the crime triangle, a concept frequently cited in the field of criminology, fraud opportunity has three main elements: the victims, the fraudsters, and the guardian and hurdle gaps. When any of these elements change, the opportunity for a fraudster to commit a crime also changes. The research question of this thesis explores the policy responses of the European Commission. The Commission’s five-point plan targets the three elements of fraud opportunity; therefore, future fraud opportunity for the adulteration of beef products with horsemeat will theoretically decrease.

Master of Arts / Department of Economics / Tracy Turner / I analyze the impact of Kansas House Bills HB 2117 and HB 2059, which made changes to the personal income tax structure and sales tax rates in the state of Kansas in 2012 and beyond. Using county-level, quarterly data gathered from the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis, I examine a full sample of Kansas and its four bordering states; Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma in order to determine the impact the tax changes had on the private sector employment in the state of Kansas. I subsequently use Kansas county-level, quarterly data to create a sample of Kansas border counties and their border pair matches, which consist of their adjacent counties in the neighboring states, to employ a differencing model to examine those same effects. With this analysis I isolate the policy change taking place in Kansas in 2012 and assess its impact controlling for the impact of the state corporate income tax, individual income tax, and sales tax rates on private sector employment in Kansas counties. My findings indicate that Kansas has not experienced an increase in private sector employment due to this policy change, but rather has perhaps seen private sector employment levels fall in the year following the enactment of the policy change.

Master of Regional and Community Planning / Department of Regional and Community Planning / John Keller / This report examines the evolution of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Processes and procedures have evolved overtime and the agency is making strides in improving their reputation. Joplin, Missouri, is used as a case study to determine (1) if there are changes being made in the Federal Emergency Management Agency and (2) outlines the process to receive aid after a natural disaster. Interviews were conducted with officials and members of the public who worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency after the disaster and their impression of the agency was documented.

Master of Regional and Community Planning / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Larry L. Lawhon / Gated communities are a growing residential phenomenon in the United States with almost ten percent of households living in gated communities in 2005 (Knox, 2008; Census, 2005). In this study “gated communities” are defined, according to Low (2003), as a residential neighborhood with walls and gates surrounding the development, which excludes non-residents access to all interior amenities including residences, open space, and activities. People are seeking life behind a gate for many reasons, but include the search for security, safety, privacy, prestige, exclusivity, control, and community (Blakely & Snyder, 1999). As this style of development is expanding and as all socio-economic groups want to live in gated communities, cities are beginning to realize gated communities affect all members of the community, not just the ones secluded behind the gate (El Nasser, 2002). After reviewing literature, the author found, the generally accepted social implications and consequences resulting from gated communities were identified as social segregation, loss of community, and division; although, there were also positive results for some people living within gated communities. This report, through a case study format, investigated if the social implications of gated communities are considered during the development review process. Rockwood Falls Estates and Meadows is a suburban gated community and the surrounding local governments, Johnson County and Overland Park, were the object of the case study. The author concluded that gated communities have benefits and concerns. Further, the author found that gated communities can be effectively controlled if the local governments have adopted specific policies dealing with gated communities and implement this policy through specific design review procedures.

Master of Agribusiness / Department of Agricultural Economics / John A. Fox / Child mortality is defined as the death of children under five years old. Worldwide, child mortality was about 8.1 million in 2009, of which over fifty percent is related to diarrhea, pneumonia and malaria. Food and water borne pathogens are an important cause of deaths related to diarrhea and pneumonia. Illiterate or semi-literate populations are often slow to adopt food and water safety standards. Practices such as washing of food in sewage water, which would repulse most westerners might be considered normal in some parts of the world. Understanding some of the basic science underlying food safety standards is important for the farm worker in California, the villager in Africa and the child in Afghanistan. Ultimately, food safety practices in production can affect the consumer of agricultural products no matter where they are in the world, and inadequate food safety standards can affect the producer as a result of diminished consumer confidence in their product, or lack of access to export markets. In the instance of food contamination, young children and the elderly are typically most at risk. Perhaps the most sobering consequence of inadequate food safety standards is child mortality. This thesis uses a regression model to investigate determinants of the level of child mortality. We find that income distribution and levels of tertiary education, particularly for females, are significantly correlated with child mortality rates. Estimates suggest that a one percent increase in tertiary education in the female workforce is associated with a reduction of almost seven percent in the child mortality rate in countries where the rate of female tertiary education is below fifteen percent.

Master of Arts / Department of Economics / Tracy M. Turner / The report examines the fiscal impact of undocumented persons at the federal, state, and local levels in order to explain the likely effects of an amnesty program. The report first provides background on the population of undocumented persons in the United States and an overview of the laws which govern their status. Details of past and current amnesty legislation are given. The channels through which undocumented immigrants have a fiscal impact on the three levels of government in the United States are explained. The paper discusses the economic theory relating to immigration and its effect on economic growth. Published works on the fiscal impact of the undocumented on state and local budgets and on federal programs such as social security are reviewed. The research reviewed includes an analysis of the long-term fiscal impact of immigrants. Undocumented immigrants impose a net cost at the state and local levels in most cases. However, many undocumented immigrants make income and payroll tax payments and the population of undocumented immigrants imposes a net benefit at the federal level. These sources of information are then used to explain how an amnesty program might change the fiscal impact of the undocumented at the three levels of government. The recent executive order signed by President Obama, known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), is an amnesty program that has a strong potential to help the U.S. economy retain young and highly educated workers, who have a positive fiscal impact on government finances. This report draws certain recommendations for the design of a successful amnesty and for implementing other immigration reforms from published research.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Animal Sciences and Industry / Curtis Kastner / The U.S. agriculture industry is diverse and dynamic, plays a vital role in the nation’s economy, and serves as a critical component in providing the global food supply. Agriculture has and always will be susceptible to threats such as pests, disease, and weather, but it is also threatened by intentional acts of agroterrorism. One specific area of concern is foreign animal diseases (FAD) and the danger these diseases create for the U.S. livestock industry. Whether a disease outbreak is intentional or accidental, it could devastate animal agriculture and the food infrastructure and have a lasting impact on state, national, and global economies. One of the most economically devastating diseases that raise fear and anxiety in the livestock industry is foot and mouth disease (FMD). A number of administrative, regulatory, and legislative actions have been implemented at state and federal levels designed to protect the agriculture industry and to prevent, prepare for, and respond to an accidental or intentional introduction of an FAD. However, the consistency, clarity, and long-term commitment of these policy approaches remains in question. Effective policy decisions require a multidisciplinary approach that consider and balance science, economics, social factors, and political realities. A significant number of policy analysis tools exist and have been applied to animal emergency scenarios but few actually address the complexity of these policy dilemmas and provide information to policymakers in a format designed to help them make better decisions. Policy development needs to take a more multidisciplinary approach and better tools are needed to help decision makers determine the best policy choices. This dissertation analyzes three FAD policy dilemmas: mass euthanasia and depopulation, carcass disposal, and vaccination. Policy tools are developed to address the multidisciplinary nature of these issues while providing the information necessary to decision makers in a simple and useful format.

Master of Regional and Community Planning / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional & Community Planning / Hyung Jin Kim / Planning researchers and professionals have recently noted the social, economic, and cultural benefits food truck activity can provide within a community. As a result, the proliferation of food truck activity has challenged planners to reconsider the role of streets and urban spaces. Food trucks have the potential to enliven the urban landscape and enrich the quality of public life by serving as revitalization catalysts in urban spaces. While food trucks have become an increasingly visible aspect of street life, few jurisdictions have determined an effective manner to regulate and promote food truck activity. The study recommends how cities can improve current food truck policies in order to enable the revitalization of urban spaces through food truck activity. Using Kansas City, Missouri as a study area, the primary question was explored through three secondary inquires and their related methods. First, a GIS-based spatial analysis identified the spatio-temporal characteristics of food truck locations via social media data mining processes. Second, a survey of food truck vendors and interviews with city staff highlighted stakeholder conflicts that pose barriers to food truck activity. Third, a policy review in key cities and the development of a policy framework helped determine appropriate policy guidelines that allow food trucks to operate effectively in a city. The cumulative findings of the study informed food truck policy guidelines for Kansas City, Missouri. The policy framework also provides a structure for cities to utilize in order to analyze their own regulations. Sixteen significant policy areas are included in the framework, with the policy areas falling into one of three categories: permitting and enforcement, streets and spaces, or public health and safety. Appropriate policies that balance the needs of stakeholders allow food trucks to operate effectively, thus allowing cities to capitalize on the urban revitalization effects and other benefits that food truck activity provides within urban spaces.

Master of Science / Department of Agricultural Economics / John A. Fox / The concept of animal cloning was first introduced to the public’s attention in 1996 with the birth of “Dolly the Sheep,” the first mammal to be cloned. Now, after more than a decade the technology has reached a point of feasibility on a commercial scale. With the publication of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration risk assessment on animal cloning in 2008, a report that concluded that the technology was safe and posed no risk to consumers, the issue has received renewed attention. In this thesis I use survey data to examine attitudes to the use of cloning in animal food production among samples of college students in the U.S., Ireland, France, Honduras, and China. Stated likelihood of consuming meat products from cloned animals is correlated with individual characteristics including socio-demographic variables (gender, and farming background) and attitudinal variables measuring concern about various food technologies. In addition, using ordered logit modeling, we examine how respondents might change their probability of consuming cloned products after being provided with information about scientific assessments about the safety of cloning and possible price reductions for cloned products. The analysis shows that: a) respondents in the U.S. and Honduras were more likely than those in other countries to indicate that they would consume cloned products, b) on average, respondents in all countries increased their stated likelihood of consuming cloned products when informed that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Food Safety Authority had assessed cloned foods as safe for human consumption, and c) individuals who were opposed to cloning on moral grounds were significantly less likely to consume cloned product and furthermore were less likely to respond positively to information about the safety of cloning.