Revisiting Hawes: Social Capital and Racial Disparity in Incarceration Rates

ABSTRACT: Over the past twenty-five years, the U.S prison system has experienced continuous substantial increment in the prison population. At the same time, incarceration rates have risen by more than 300%, a phenomenon that many analysts have referred to as mass incarceration (DeFina & Hannon, 2013). This study investigates the various divergent impacts of social capital on policy egalitarianism in state outcomes. Notably, this paper reviews the relationships connecting social capital and incarceration rates, while analyzing the level of racial disparities in incarceration rates in the American states using a state-level panel data spanning 1980 to 2015. Building on work by Hawes (2017), we present a theoretical description and empirical examination for how social capital functions uniquely under different racial contexts using a newer dataset. The results suggest that there is a positive correlation between social capital and the incarceration of many African American which is more profound in some states than others. KEYWORDS: mass incarceration, social capital, racial diversity, inequality, poverty, social contro

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES: CATALYSTS FOR REAL ENTREPRENEURIAL FIRMS’ GROWTH IN SOUTHWEST, NIGERIA

The study examined the role of Human Resource Management Practices (HRMPs) on entrepreneurial firms’ growth in South West Nigeria.  This was to entrenching a set of adequate human resource management practices that can enhance the growth objective of entrepreneurial firms. A structured questionnaire was used to elicit information on relevant variables of the study. Data collected were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics with the aid of IBM SPSS statistics version 21.  The results revealed that employees’ training (    = 31.03, s=8.6405); controlling (   = 25.95, s= 6.721)); organizing manpower (    = 23.20, s = 5.760); job analysis and design (   = 23.10, s = 5.883) were reasonably practiced among the firms under the study. Whereas motivating strategies (    = 21.5, s = 5.2905; recruitment and selection (   = 20.45, s = 4.831); and manpower planning (    = 18.72, s = 4.786) fell below the agreement criterion (    = 23.0).  However, it was established that there was a statistically significant influence of the predictor variables on the outcome variable (R2 = 0.837, adjusted R2 = 0.825).  Therefore, the study concluded that Human Resources Management Practices as an omnibus concept have significant influence on Entrepreneurial firms ‘growth. The study suggested that Human Resource Management Practices should be considered as a process by entrepreneurs as it galvanizes entrepreneurial firms' growth objectives.     &nbsp

Intelligent Citizenship Identity through Family Pedigree Using Graph-Signature Based Random-Forest Model

There has been a global upsurge of interest in the topic of citizenship identity over the past decades, specifically in the world dominated by profound insecurity, inequalities, proliferation of identities, and rise of identity politics,engendered by capitalism. However finding effective solution to these problems has been rendered difficult. To alleviate these problems, this paper presents an analytical Machine learning model that suitably combined the graph signature with random forest techniques. This study presents the design and realization of a novel Intelligent Citizenship Identity through family pedigree using Graph Signature based random forest (GSB-RF) model. The study also showcases the development of a novel graph signature technique referred to as Canonical Code Signature(CCS) method. The CCS method is used at the pre-processing stage of the identification process to build signature for any given tuple. Performance comparisim between the present system and the baseline techniques which includes: the K-Nearest Neighbour and the traditional Random Forest shows that the present system outperformed the baseline method studied. The proposed system shows capability to perform continuous re-identification of Citizens based on their family pedigree with ability to select best sample with low computational complexity, high identification accuracy and speed. Our experimental result shows that the precision rate and identification quality of our system in most cases are equal to or greater than 70%. Therefore, the proposed Citizenship Identification machine is capable of providing usable, consistent, efficient, faster and accurate identification, to the users, security agents, government agents and institutions on-line, real-time and at any-time

A Reproductive Justice Approach to Understanding Yoruba Women’s Experiences with Early Marriage and Bride Price in Nigeria

The cultural and social constructions of gender and sexuality play a major role in shaping an individual’s reproductive agency within the Yoruba society. This thesis suggests the need to apply a reproductive justice framework and transnational feminist theory as alternatives to individual-driven ‘choice’ and reproductive and sexual human rights. In this thesis, the stories of Yoruba women were centered to understand how their experiences with bride price payment, early marriage, and reproduction take shape with their cultural beliefs and practices. Feminist oral history was used to capture the stories of six Yoruba women, who married early and whose husbands paid their bride price. Four emerging themes were identified from the participants’ experiences: 1) Yoruba’s cultural beliefs, 2) The Politics of reproduction, 3) Patriarchal norms and attitudes, and 4) Kin influence. Life stories from the participants reveal a crucial need to understand how multiple intersectional factors such as sexuality, family, gender, childbearing, religion, and political and ethnic status influence Yoruba women’s reproductive autonomy. It is my hope that this work will strengthen the works of reproductive justice scholars and activists for better facilitation of autonomous decision-making among underrepresented populations at the grassroots level. Keywords: Reproductive Justice, Transnational Feminism, Intersectionality, Bride Price, Early Marriage, Yoruba women, Oral HistoryKókó Iṣẹ́ Ìwádìí Ní Ṣókí Akitiyan ṣíṣe àgbékalẹ̀ àṣà ati òlàjú láàrin akọ si abo àti ìbálòpọ̀ láàrin wọn ko ipá pàtàkì púpọ̀ láti wá ojútùú si bí oníkálukú wọn yóò ṣe maa bí síí, tí yóò si tún maa rẹ sí láwùjọ ẹ̀yà Yorùbá. Iṣẹ́ ìwádìí yi n da àbá ìlànà míràn tí ó yẹ láti máa tọ fáwọn àbò tàbi ọmọbìnrin wa láì fì ọwọ́ líle mu wọn nípa ìbálòpọ̀ léròngba láti le bí ọmọ. Iṣẹ́ ìwádìí yi ṣe àfojúsùn ìtàn àwọn arábìnrin Yorùbá mẹ́fà kán láti ṣe àlàyé kíkún nípa ìrírí wọn nípa owó orí sísan, à tètè ṣe ìgbéyàwó, ati ìlànà ìbímọ ni ìbámu pẹ̀lú àṣà àti ìṣe àwùjọ ẹ̀yà Yorùbá. Àróbá tí ṣé ọrọ ẹnu ti ko nì àkọsílẹ̀ láti ẹnu awọn yi ni iṣẹ́ ìwádìí yi lò láti fi ìtàn ati ìrírí awọn obìnrin Yorùbá mẹfẹ̀fa yi múlẹ̀. Iṣẹ́ ìwádìí yi fi ìdí rẹ múlẹ̀ pe àwọn obìnrin àwùjọ ẹ̀yà Yorùbá mẹfẹ̀fa yi tètè ṣe ìgbéyàwó, wọn tètè lọ sílé ọkọ, tí àwon oko won sì san owó orí wọn. Àkòrí mẹ́rin pataki ló jẹyọ gẹ́gẹ́ bi nǹkan àfojúsùn àti ìrírí láti ọ̀dọ̀ àwọn olùkópá nínú iṣẹ́ iwadi yi; 1) Ìgbàgbọ́ nínú àṣà àwùjọ ẹ̀yà Yorùbá, 2) Kíki ọrọ òṣèlú bọ ètò ìbímọ, 3) Orò ati ìwùwàsí ìran ìdílé awọn Bàbá Bàbá, 4) Ìdásí àti ìlọwọsi lati ọdọ àwọn ibatan. Ìtàn ohun tójú rí gégé bí ìrírí láti ọ̀dọ̀ àwọn olùkópá se àfihan ìdí tí ènìyàn fi gbodò ni òye ipa tí àwon nnkan bí ìbálòpọ̀, ẹbí, ìbímọ, ẹ̀sìn, òṣèlú, àti ọrọ akọ si abo ló ń ṣokùnfà ohun ti ko jẹ ki àwọn obìnrin àwùjọ ẹ̀yà Yorùbá le da dúró tàbi wa lómìnira nipa ọ̀rọ̀ ọmọ bibi. Ìrètí mi ni wípé iṣẹ́ ìwádìí yi yo fun àwọn onímọ̀ kíkún àti àwọn akoni òmòwé tó n sisé lórí ètò ìbísíi-ìrèsíi ní ìlànà tó yẹ, to si tun wúlò fun ìrànwọ́ àwọn ènìyàn ti ko lẹnu ọrọ tabi olùrànlọ́wọ́ láwùjọ, to bẹ gẹẹ ti wọn o ni àǹfààní láti ṣe ìfẹ́ inu wọn, ki wọn si rí ẹsẹ dúró nípa ọ̀rọ̀ ọmọ bibi. Àwon kókó òrò: Ìbísíi-ìrèsíi tó bá òfin mu, Ìjàfétòó-abo tó lapón já, Onígundégun, Owó orí, Ìgbeyàwó ateteṣe, Àwon obìnrin Yorùbá, Ìtàn àtenudénu

DOES WORKING CAPITAL MANAGEMENT AFFECT THE PROFITABILITY OF CONSUMER GOODS MANUFACTURING FIRMS IN NIGERIA?

The study examined the effect of working capital management on profitability of consumer goods manufacturing firms in Nigeria between the periods 2009 to 2018. The study adopted ex-post-facto design to generate data from the audited financial statements of the selected companies. The population of the study comprised 24 listed consumer goods manufacturing companies, out of which 10 were purposively selected based on the availability of data. The surrogates for independent variables were Account Payable Period (APP), Account Receivable Period (ARP), Inventory Turnover Period (INVTP), Cash Conversion Cycle (CCC) and Sales Growth (SG) as a control variable while the proxy for profitability was Return on Asset (ROA). Descriptive and inferential statistics coupled with multiple regressions were adopted to analyze the data.  The Random Effects Generalized Least Square showed that ARP, INVTP, CCC had a negative and significant relationship with ROA while APP, SG had a positive and insignificant relationship with ROA. The study concluded that timely collection of debts and shorter inventory turnover period with cash conversion cycle enhance profitability of consumer goods manufacturing companies. Hence, the study suggested that the management of the companies should implement efficient working capital management for improved profitability.   &nbsp

Application of Linear Programming in optimization of parking slot: A case study of Tamale-Bolgatanga lorry station in Ghana

This paper deals with optimization of parking slot via linear programming of Tamale/Bolgatanga main lorry station at the Tamale Metropolis in the Northern region of Ghana. It examined the maximum parking capacity of the Terminal and how it will be optimized to avoid traffic congestion in the metropolis and determined the best parking slot allocation to be distributed among different types of vehicle on limited parking space

Performance Evaluation of Sand-based Surface flow Constructed wetland in Domestic Wastewater Treatment using Typha Orientalis as Macrophyte

A laboratory-scale free water surface-flow constructed wetland was set up at the Department of Civil Engineering; Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Ogbomoso, Nigeria in May 2013 to demonstrate the performance of sand- based constructed wetland, using Typha Orientalis as a viable low-cost efficient treatment option for domestic wastewater from kitchen. The nutrient removal and performance evaluation of the constructed wetland in treatment of kitchen wastewater against retention period of ten days was investigated. During the 10-day retention period, the sand- based constructed wetland set up with Typha Orientalis had improved the wastewater quality significantly as it had reduced 94.9% of Turbidity, BOD5 by 79.0%, NO-3 by 66.7%, 87.9% of SO-4 , 70.24% of Cl-, Conductivity by 70.8% and Magnesium by 80.62%. The pH value and Dissolve Oxygen increased by 28.3% and 64.01% respectively and the initial offensive odour of the raw water was no more noticeable. The final effluent was found to be suitable for non-drinking purposes like crop irrigation and keeping aquatic animals. However, it was noted that a 7- day detention time was optimal for the treatment of domestic wastewater from kitchen. The treatment system was found to be economical, as the cost of construction only was involved and maintenance cost very minimal. It was environmentally friendly as it was free from offensive odour and insect invasion. The prototype scale is recommended for in-situ use, especially for wastewater from kitchen. Keywords: Constructed wetland, Domestic wastewater, Nutrient removal, Retention period, Typha Orientalis

Factorization in Phase-Space Finite Geometry and Weak Mutually Unbiased Bases

A phase-space factorization of lines in finite geometry G(m) with variables in Zm and its correspondence in finite Hilbert space H(m) for m a non-prime was discussed. Using the method of Good [15], lines in G(m) were factorized as products of lines G(mi) where mi is a prime divisor of m. A lattice was formed between the non trivial sublines of G(m) and lines of G(mi) and between a subspace of H(m) and bases of H(mi) and existence of a link between lines in phase space finite geometry and bases in Hilbert space of finite quantum systems was discussed

Distribution of radionuclides and assessment of risk exposure to the miners on a kaolin field

Mining of kaolin deposits are common in Nigeria without considering the background radiation in such environment and the health risks it might pose on the miners. In this study, in-situ measurements of the naturally occurring radionuclides were carried out with the aim of determining the distribution of these radionuclides on the mining field and estimation of the hazard indices exposure risks (γ- and α-radiation risks) to the miners. The study was achieved with the aid of gamma ray detector Super-Spec (RS-125) and global positioning system. The detector used has ability to measure activity concentrations of 238U, 232Th and 40K and gamma doses. For the purpose of this study, only the concentrations of the three radionuclides were considered. For each location, measurements were taken four times, while its mean value was estimated for better accuracy. In all, nineteen locations were occupied in order to cover the study area. Basic kriging method was adopted for the production of spatial distribution of these radionuclides and their corresponding γ- and α-radiation hazard indices. The mean values of 238U, 232Th and 40K are 46.7, 71.8 and 108.7 Bq kg-1 , respectively. When compared to the global standard, it was revealed that 238U and 232Th are greater than the global standard, while 40K fall below the permissible limit. The γ- and α-radiation exposure risks estimated revealed that the mean values of Iγ and Iα are 0.6 and 0.2 respectively. Though the estimated γ- and α-radiation indices showed that the kaolin field is safe for the miners, periodic check is required in order to monitor the rate at which these natural primordial radionuclides (238U and 232Th and their progenies) are being enhanced