Honduras: A Pariah State, or Innovative Solutions to Organized Crime Deserving U.S. Support?

Since his election in 2013, Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez has made significant changes in the strategy and institutions of the country in combating the interrelated scourges of organized crime and violent gangs, which have prejudiced Honduras as well as its neighbors. Principal among these are the creation of a new inter-agency structure, de la Fuerza de Seguridad Interinstitucional Nacional (the National Inter-Agency Security Force [FUSINA]), integrating the military, police, prosecutors, special judges, and other state resources to combat organized crime and delinquency in the country. More controversially, he has created a new police force within the military, the Policía Militar del Orden Público (Military Police of Public Order [PMOP]), which has been deployed both to provide security to the nation’s principal urban areas, Tegucigalpa, Comayagüela and San Pedro Sula, and to participate in operations against organized crime groups. In the fight against narcotrafficking, he has advanced a concept of three interdependent “shields”: 1). An air shield to better control Honduran airspace, enabled by January 2014 enabling the shoot-down of suspected drug flights and the acquisition of three radars from Israel to support intercepts by the Honduran air force; 2). A maritime shield, with new naval bases on the country’s eastern coast, and new shallow-water and riverine assets for intercepting smugglers; and, 3). A land shield, including enhanced control of the border with Guatemala through the Task Force “Maya Chorti.” Beyond FUSINA, the Hernandez administration has also sought to reform the nation’s national police, albeit with slow progress. It is also reforming the penitentiary system, dominated by the criminal gangs MS-13 and B-18. The new security policies of the Hernandez administration against transnational organized crime and the gang threat, set forth in its Inter-Agency Security Plan and “OPERATION MORAZÁN,” have produced notable successes. With U.S. assistance, FUSINA and the Honduran government dismantled the leadership of the nation’s two principal family-based drug smuggling organizations, the Cachiros and the Los Valles, and significantly reduced the use of the national territory as a drug transit zone, particularly narco flights. Murders in the country have fallen from 86.5 per 100,000 in 2011, to 64 per 100,000 in 2014. This monograph focuses on the evolution of the transnational organized crime and gang challenges in Honduras, the strategy and structures of the Hernandez administration in combating them, associated challenges, and provides recommendations for the U.S. military and policymakers to support the country in such efforts.https://press.armywarcollege.edu/monographs/1421/thumbnail.jp

Indian and Chinese Engagement in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Comparative Assessment

This monograph comparatively examines the content and country focus of high-level diplomacy for each of the two actors, as well as the volume and patterns of trade, the activities of Indian and Chinese companies in the region, and their relationship to their respective governments in eight sectors: (1) petroleum and mining; (2) agriculture; (3) construction; (4) manufacturing and retail; (5) banking and finance; (6) logistics and port operations; (7) technology such as telecommunications, space, and high technology; and, (8) military sales and activities. This monograph finds that Indian engagement with the region is significantly less than that of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and concentrated on a more limited subset of countries and sectors. In the commercial and military sector, it finds that the efforts by the Indian government to support their companies in the region are generally more modest and less coordinated than those of the PRC. Nonetheless, despite such limitations, the nature of Indian companies and their engagement with the region create opportunities for significant advances in the future, in a manner that is relatively well received by Latin American governments and societies.https://press.armywarcollege.edu/monographs/1415/thumbnail.jp

An Ex Post Facto Study of First-year Student Orientation as an Indicator of Student Success at a Community College

New student orientation courses are one of the most popular methods used by colleges to address student attrition, but there is little research to show whether these courses are effective. This article features a study which examined the relationship between enrollment in orientation courses and increased student retention

The New Russian Engagement with Latin America: Strategic Position, Commerce, and Dreams of the Past

In many ways, Russia’s expanded engagement in Latin America as a response to escalating tension over the Ukraine was a repetition of its answer to U.S. involvement in the 2008 conflict in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. In the latter conflict, the U.S. deployed naval forces to the Black Sea in response to Russian support for the breakaway republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Russia countered with a series of actions in Latin America, including sending nuclear-capable Tu-160 bombers to Venezuela, from where they conducted symbolically-charged flights around the Caribbean. A month later, a four-ship Russian naval flotilla deployed to the area to conduct military exercises with the Venezuelan navy before making port calls in Cuba and Nicaragua. In November 2008, Russian President Dmitri Medvedev traveled to Latin America to participate in the leadership summit of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas, then subsequently hosted both Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega in Moscow. Three months later, Bolivian President Evo Morales also traveled to Russia, followed in November 2009 by Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa. Very little beyond journalistic accounts have been written to examine contemporary Russian activities in Latin America and the Caribbean. As Russia’s reassertion of its global position and associated tensions with the United States proceed, a broad understanding of Russia in the Americas becomes ever more important, both as a question of U.S. national security and as an important dynamic shaping the global geopolitical environment. This monograph focuses on the character of the ongoing Russian re-engagement with Latin America and the Caribbean and its implications for the U.S.https://press.armywarcollege.edu/monographs/1450/thumbnail.jp

U.S. National Security Implications of Chinese Involvement in Latin America

Ultimately, this monograph argues that increasing Chinese engagement with Latin America will make the nation both a powerful competitor and a potential partner for the United States in the Western Hemisphere. On one hand, China with major investments in Latin America and dependence on its material flows is likely to be a nation interested in reducing political instability, armed groups, and criminal activity in the region—rather than fueling radical populism and insurgency. On the other hand, the United States needs to consider to what degree it is willing to accept a China that has increasing leverage in its strategic neighborhood and its major trading area. Investment and trade presence leads to growing interest in the political course of the region, and now is the time for the United States to begin to consider how to constructively engage the Chinese in the Western Hemisphere.https://press.armywarcollege.edu/monographs/1746/thumbnail.jp

How to Improve Knowledge Translation of Qualitative Research into Clinical Practice

ABSTRACTHow can qualitative research findings become more influential as trustworthy evidence on which to base clinical practice decisions? Despite an increase in its visibility, the clinical implementation of qualitative findings remains negligible; instead, knowledge users continue to base their clinical decision making primarily on quantitative evidence (Goguen, Knight, & Tiberius, 2008; Shuval, Harker, Roudsari, Groce, Mills, Siddiqi, & Shachak, 2011; Sofaer, 2002).. The purpose of this paper is to describe some of the factors affecting the impact of qualitative findings in the clinical practice of both nursing and medical professionals. This topic is timely and significant because while qualitative research approaches are methodologically and philosophically valid, these approaches remain comparatively lacking in discourse around evidence-based practice and ensuing clinical decisions. These authors continue the academic discussion surrounding the struggle to better translate qualitative research into clinical settings. A brief introduction to qualitative research methods sets a background for endorsing its increased use in clinical practice. The unique contribution of this paper is that practical solutions are provided for incorporating qualitative research into clinical decision-making by healthcare professionals. These are offered to encourage both qualitative and quantitative researchers, clinicians in nursing and medicine, and all knowledge users to take up this problem; despite theoretical and ideological differences, we all have the ultimate goal of utilizing high quality evidence to provide the best care to our patients.Keywords: Knowledge translation, qualitative research, nursing

Same Song, Different Choir

The CAPE standards have led to more precise, outcomes based expectations. However, the standards may have an adverse effect on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) according to a group of HBCU education deans and administrators. This group represented educator preparation programs that graduate more than 50 percent of all Black public school teachers. The group contends that the CAPE standards will negatively “impact the delivery of their educator programs.” Some concerns are increased admissions criteria, accountability issues beyond a program’s control, and the ‘for-profit’ teacher training programs (Hawkins, 2013).. Teacher preparation programs are now challenged to provide more functional field experiences, requiring increased collaboration between k-12 school systems and institutions of higher education (NCATE, 2010). These collaborations must lead to more instructional responsibilities for teacher candidates prior to the prominent, one-term “student teaching course.” There is significant evidence that extensive field experiences will promote higher student achievement gains (Daniels, Patterson & Dunston, 2010;Teaching, 2030, 2014). Several models have proven effective for clinically-based (NCATE, 2010). These models generally fall within three categories--Teacher Residency, Blended, and Professional Development Schools. Given the scenarios that CAPE standards will have for HBCUs, the ‘best fit’ is a true quandary

Give them a chance: public attitudes to sentencing young offenders in Western Australia

Public opinion is often reported as punitive towards sentencing young people. Attitudes remain important to investigate given their potential to influence policy within the criminal justice system. Therefore, it is important to understand the formation of these attitudes and their consistency with sentencing principles. Semi-structured interviews (n = 72) and surveys (n = 502) were used to gauge opinions of sentencing young people under different scenario manipulations (age, weapon, drug treatment, prior record). The findings revealed the public expected punishment, but favoured rehabilitation with an opportunity to repent, suggesting the public are open to alternatives to ‘tough on crime’ approaches

Madison County, Kentucky Hazardous Materials Commodity Flow Analysis

This report presents the results of a Commodity Flow Analysis of Hazardous Materials for Interstate-75 (I-75) (North and South Bound lanes) conducted by Western Kentucky University in partnership with the Madison County (Kentucky) Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC). The only Kentucky County within the study area is Madison County as shown in Figure 1.1. The purpose of report is to give information on patterns of hazardous materials being transported along I-75 as observed from July 25th 2011 to August 5th 2011. A secondary purpose is to summarize incidents involving hazardous materials over the previous 6 years (January 2006 – June 2011). Finally, this report assesses survey information collected from fixed facilities that ship and receive hazardous materials in the I-75 highway. Commodity flow analysis is necessary in order for the LEPC to prepare for future hazardous material releases that may occur along this section of I-75. Data collected from this study will aid the emergency planning process for specific hazardous materials that were observed to frequent the study area during the study period