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Why do some U.S. states have more permissive concealed carry weapons (CCW) laws than other states? To answer this question, this study tests several plausible social, political, and economic factors thought to affect the likelihood of this outcome over several decades. Models estimated using random-effects ordered logistic regression reveal that theoretical accounts based on partisan politics, gendered politics, economic threat, and racial threat largely explain variation in CCW laws over time. Tests for interactions, however, reveal that the influence of gubernatorial politics varies according to Republican strength in the legislature and by region. Also, the impact of racial threat on CCW laws is dependent on the crime rate. Overall, this research advances the literature by simultaneously assessing all plausible state-level CCW policies, incorporating novel threat and political predictors, and utilizing a larger sample size than prior studies.

This book explores the implications of athletic coaching for improved pedagogy, offering concrete lessons and suggestions for best practices in the classroom. It draws direct lessons from the athletic arena to enhance educational practice.

The effects of lynchings on criminal justice outcomes have seldom been examined. Recent findings also are inconsistent about the effects of race on imprisonments. This study uses a pooled time-series design to assess lynching and racial threat effects on state imprisonments from 1972 to 2000. After controlling for Republican strength, conservatism, and other factors, lynch rates explain the growth in admission rates. The findings also show that increases in black residents produce subsequent expansions in imprisonments that likely are attributable to white reactions to this purported menace. But after the percentage of blacks reaches a substantial threshold-and the potential black vote becomes large enough to begin to reduce these harsh punishments-reductions in prison admissions occur. These results also confirm a political version of racial threat theory by indicating that increased Republican political strength produces additional imprisonments.

This dissertation explores the social, political, and economic factors that influence the severity of U.S. state-level crack/powder cocaine drug laws and prison admission rates over time. To the best of my knowledge, this empirical assessment of the determinants of changes in state-level drug law strength from 1977 to 2010 is the first of its kind. Furthermore, a review of the literature reveals that the subsequent use of such a wide-ranging drug law strength indicator to predict changes in state-level prison admission rates from 1978 to 2011 also is unparalleled. Estimates from two-way fixed-effects pooled cross-sectional models suggest that percent black, the presence of a Republican governor, real median household income (i.e., the tax base), and violent crime rates are positively associated with state drug law strength and prison admission rates. State drug law strength also is a positive predictor of state prison admission rates, but only for states in the South and ex-Confederate states. And contrary to claims often made in the literature, I find that the effects of state drug law strength on state prison admission rates are best characterized as unremarkable to moderate. This is especially the case when these effects are considered alongside those of other relevant explanatory variables.

The coaching metaphor first entered the educational literature over twenty-five year ago when Ted Sizer urged classroom teachers to model the pedagogical relationship between coaches and athletes. Yet, since then, educators have rarely drawn direct lessons from the athletic arena for their practice... until now. DeMeulenaere, Cann, Malone and McDermott, in this groundbreaking analysis, explore the implications of athletic coaching for improved pedagogy. They offer concrete lessons and suggestions for best practices in the classroom.

Geographic information systems (GIS) have been used in wildlife and fisheries management and research for many years. However, these systems are not being used to their fullest potential in conservation law enforcement. At present, there are only 5 conservation law enforcement agencies in the United States using a GIS. This research outlines the development of a GIS for use in conservation law enforcement in Mississippi and preliminary analysis of citation data from fiscal years 1997–2000 on a county and state level. Geographic information systems can provide officers the means to become more pro-active and efficient at managing and protecting our wildlife resources. This may be achieved by retaining the institutional knowledge of all officers that have worked for an agency. With this knowledge base in place, wildlife resources can be protected effectively for years to come.