Samples in this file are solely for the purpose of guidance in the quality of content and

writing when preparing URG submissions.

SAMPLE ABSTRACTS

Section II. ABSTRACT (approximately 250 words in length) A study will be conducted to determine the impact of processing soybean meal using

various techniques (solvent-extraction, fermentation, extrusion, or enzyme treatment) on the

nutritional quality of soybean meal when fed to pigs. Fourteen pigs will be placed in metabolism

crates and fed a diet containing conventional (solvent-extracted) soybean meal or a diet

containing fermented soybean meal. The metabolism crate allows for total collection of feces

and urine, which will begin 7 days after the pigs receive the diet, and continue for 3 days. After

feces and urine is collected, samples will be analyzed for dry matter, nitrogen, and energy to

calculate the digestibility of these nutrients. Following the metabolism study, a 5-week feeding

trial will be conducted to compare the growth performance of young pigs fed a diet containing

soybean meal produced by; 1.) solvent extraction, 2.) fermentation, 3.) extrusion, or 4.) solvent-

extraction with enzyme supplementation. Samples of conventional, fermented, and extruded

soybean meal, as well as samples of each complete diet, will also be analyzed for anti-nutritional

factors. The use of soybean meal is limited in the diets of young pigs due to inefficient

digestibility of soy protein and the presence of anti-nutritional factors which can reduce its

nutritional quality. Typical soybean meal used in swine diets is produced by solvent-extraction,

however, it is anticipated that other processing techniques may result in a higher quality product

that can be used for young pigs. Research quantifying the nutrient content of fermented soybean

meal to pigs is currently limited, and there is little data comparing the growth performance of

young pigs fed soybean meal processed with various techniques.

II) ABSTRACT

The goal of this project is to determine what factors are most influential relative to

farmers’ crop insurance purchasing decisions in Illinois. The 2008 Farm Bill, in addition to new

crop insurance products, introduced new safety nets for farmers. This study will examine the

impact of this Farm Bill on crop insurance purchases. Since the prices of insurance products are

set by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, characteristics of insurance agents that farmers

value the most will also be investigated. Data will be collected via mail survey. 1st Farm Credit

Services and Farm Credit Services of Illinois will provide access to their current/potential

customer database with farmers’ contact information and demographics. Random sampling will

be used to select 1,000 farmers. The questionnaire will include questions on types of crop

insurance products purchased; coverage levels; factors influencing purchase decisions; agent’s

and farm characteristics; and farmers’ demographics including education, attitude towards risk,

and number of years in farming. Descriptive statistics and significance tests will be used to

examine differences and similarities between small and large farms as well as risk takers vs. risk

averse farmers. A binary logistic regression will be used to examine the relationship between

crop insurance plan selections and the importance of certain purchase decision factors. Illinois

farmers, RMA, and crop insurance agencies will benefit from this study. Findings could improve

the crop insurance products and services available to Illinois farmers and make the federal crop

insurance program more effective in enhancing farmers’ ability to manage crop production risk.

SECTION II. ABSTRACT (approximately 250 words in length)

Peer and teacher relationship variables are important contributors to relatedness perceptions, self-

determined motivation, enjoyment and worry in physical education (Cox, Duncheon &

McDavid, in press). Although these relationship variables have been examined individually, it is

unknown how different combinations of peer and teacher variables are associated with

experiences in physical education. In this proposed study, middle school physical education

students (n = 800) will be given a questionnaire assessing perceived teacher support, peer

acceptance, friendship quality, relatedness, self-determined motivation, enjoyment, worry and

effort in physical education. Cluster analysis will be used to identify combinations of peer (i.e.,

friendship quality, peer acceptance) and teacher (i.e., perceived support) relationship variables in

physical education. Subsequently, a MANOVA will be conducted to test for differences in

perceived relatedness, motivation, enjoyment, worry and effort across the different groups of

students that emerge in the cluster analysis. The results of this study can be used to inform

physical education teaching practices targeted at optimizing students' experiences during class.

Section II. ABSTRACT (approximately 250 words in length) Many prior studies exist which investigate the role of personal values in Information Systems (IS) and

software design. Complementary studies exist which examine the beliefs that drive individuals to

contribute voluntarily to writing, improving, and supporting open source software (OSS). While these

studies provide valuable insight into the role of beliefs and values in systems design and motivations to

contribute, they lack a firm theoretical background. The field of social psychology provides us a Theory

of Universals in Values (TUV, Schwartz 1992), which contains a set of values shared by all humans,

across many walks of life and across cultures. This theory may provide a common theoretical framework

useful for comparing the effects of values on IS design across different types of information systems and

how developer and user values may differ.

This grant is intended to fund a two-staged exploratory study proposed to test the

relationship between the values of OSS users and developers and is an intersection of these two

different research streams. The first stage will assess and compare the structure of OSS user and

developer values, while the second stage will examine interaction of these values and the

motivating factors to voluntarily contribute to an OSS project. By conducting this research, it is

hoped that a common theoretical basis for values research in IS will be established to better

explore connections across seemingly unrelated IS values studies.

Section II. ABSTRACT

This project aims at creating and implementing a hybrid course (50% face-to-face (F2F)+ 50%

online delivery) for a lab-based construction management class to seek answers for the following

two questions: 1) Are there differences in students’ performance in understanding the subject

matters when taught in a hybrid format vs. a traditional format (100% face-to-face delivery)?;

and 2) How do the perceptions of construction students exposed to the hybrid course delivery

differ from those students enrolled in the conventional classes?

This study utilizes a quasi-experimental research design. Target subjects are enrolled in two

sections of a lab-based Construction Management course. The experimental or treatment group is

comprised of 25 students who take the course in a hybrid format (50% F2F and 50% online). The

control group is also comprised of 25 students who take the course in a 100% F2F conventional

format. The hybrid course will be developed using the same contents of the existing conventional

course; only the delivery methods will differ between these two courses.

For research question #1, two different data sources will be collected. One is formal

assessment instrument (quizzes and exams) consistent with the construction management

concepts covered in the learning activity and additional data will be gathered from a

performance-based assessment on the construction project management skill sets. The

assessment materials developed by the American Institute of Constructors will be utilized to

increase the assessment credibility. The same content will be assessed for both the treatment and

control groups. A t-test will be conducted to assess differences in learning outcomes. For

research question #2, the study will utilize a Course Delivery Format Survey to assess students’

perceptions on the course delivery method they experienced. Data will be analyzed using a t-test

to determine if there are differences between the two groups of students.

Section II. ABSTRACT (approximately 250 words in length)

Studies have shown that nonviolent youths are less likely to reoffend if they receive appropriate

services in the community instead of being incarcerated. These community-based options cost

less than institutional care in correctional facilities. In fiscal year 2005, the cost of incarcerating a

juvenile offender in Illinois was $70,827, compared to less than $15,000 per youth for

community-based services. Of released juveniles, 48% return to a juvenile institution within

three years. To address these issues, the Redeploy Illinois (RI) pilot program was created to give

counties financial support to provide community-based services for nonviolent youths (age 13–

18 years) who would otherwise be committed to the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice

(IDJJ), which oversees juvenile correctional institutions. Mclean County received a planning

grant and an 18-month RI pilot grant ($280,000). The PI received a $38,000 contract from the

county to develop data collection tools, analyze data, and write the reports. The RI planning

study showed that the county commits an average of 24 youths to IDJJ per year. The proposed

URG grant is an extension of the current project and addresses the following objectives, through

in-depth interviews, to: 1) assess the attitudes and perceptions of the youths (approximately 10–

15) participating in the program; 2) examine the views of family members of RI youth; 3) assess

the views of victims of youth; and 4) analyze the views of the probation officers, attorneys, and

service providers. This qualitative data will provide a comprehensive understanding of the

impact of the RI program on youths, families, victims, and the justice system, and will serve as a

model for other counties and states. The results will be published in scholarly journals and could

lead to additional funding from the Illinois Department of Human Services.

NARRATIVE SECTIONS

Section III. NARRATIVE (not to exceed five single-spaced pages) Introduction: Soybean meal is the most common protein source used in swine diets. However,

the use of soybean meal is limited in the diets of young pigs due to inefficient digestibility of soy

protein (Hong et al., 2004). Besides limited digestibility, soybean meal can also contain anti-

nutritional factors which can further reduce its nutritional quality. Newly weaned pigs exhibit

abnormalities in digestive processes and inflammatory responses when fed high amounts of

soybean meal (Li et al., 1991). Due to these concerns, higher quality, and more expensive

protein sources are used in the diets of young pigs. If soybean meal could be used to replace

more expensive ingredients, without effecting performance, it would be an advantage to

producers (Lenehan et al., 2007). Typical soybean meal used in swine diets is produced by

solvent-extraction. However, using other processing techniques may result in a higher quality

product that can be used for young pigs (Lenehan et al., 2007). Alternative processing

techniques that may enhance the nutritional quality of soybean meal for young pigs include:

grind size, heat treatment, and use of enzymes. Another potential processing technique that may

improve the nutritional quality of soybean meal is fermentation.

Fermented soybean meal

Fermentation of soybean meal has been shown to have many positive nutritional benefits.

Feeding chicks fermented soybean meal has been shown to improve phosphorus bioavailability

and reduce phosphorus excretion (Hirabayahshi et al., 1998b). Fermentation of soybean meal has

also increased the availability of zinc in rats (Hirabayashi et al., 1998a). Hong et al. (2004)

found that fermentation of soybean meal resulted in a 5% increase in crude protein digestibility

and a decrease in trypsin inhibitor compared to conventional soybean meal. Similarly, Kiers et

al. (2000) found that fermentation of soybeans resulted in increased nutrient digestibility. Work

by Hong et al. (2004) and Kiers et al. (2003) was performed in vitro, and further research is

needed to quantify the nutrient digestibility of fermented soybean meal in live animals. Kiers et

al. (2003) concluded that weaned pigs fed fermented soybeans had improved weight gain and

feed efficiency compared to pigs fed toasted soy beans. Feng et al. (2007) found that fermented

soybean meal fed to chickens improved the digestive enzyme activity compared to chickens fed

conventional soybean meal. This difference was also greater during the starter phase of young

chicks which are more susceptible to anti-nutritional factors (Feng et al., 2007). A bacteria,

Bacillus subtilis, was used to ferment soy beans in the trial by Kiers et al. (2003), but fermented

soybean meal that has currently become available to swine producers is fermented by the use of a

mold, Aspergillus oryzae. Zamora and Veum (1988) used A. oryzae to ferment whole soybeans

and found no increases in protein and energy values of the fermented beans compared to either

heat-treated soybeans or conventional soybean meal. Protein and energy values may improve

with fermentation of soybean meal, which is further processed than the techniques used by

Zamora and Veum (1988) who fermented cracked, whole soybeans. Overall, data is currently

limited on the use of fermented soybean meal in swine diets. Trials that have been conducted

use different techniques of fermentation and feeding regimens. Further research is necessary to

understand the usefulness of fermented soybean meal as an ingredient in swine diets and the

possible benefits it may have in the diets of young pigs.

Extruded soybean meal

Another processing technique of soybeans that has been shown to increase the nutritive

value of soybeans for pigs is extrusion. Extrusion processing is widely used in the pet and fish

food industries. It is not commonly used in livestock feed production, despite experiments that

show extruded soybeans increases growth performance of pigs compared to conventional

soybean meal (Hancock and Behnke, 2001). Dry extrusion of soybeans results in a meal with a

greater fat content, higher metabolizable energy, and greater digestibility of some essential

amino acids compared to conventional (solvent-extracted) soybean meal (Webster et al., 2003).

Woodworth et al. (2001) reported that weanling pigs fed dry extruded soybean meal had similar

growth performance to pigs fed conventional soybean meal, however dietary treatments in this

experiment did not start until 14 days after weaning when the pig may be less sensitive to anti-

nutritional factors. Soybean protein utilization by nursery pigs is greater for extruded soybeans

compared to dry-roasted soybeans (Hancock and Behnke, 2001). Due to the rising costs of

energy used in swine diets, it may be more economical to use extrusion processing, which does

not remove fat from the soybean, than to utilize diets with conventional soybean meal and added

fat. While studies are consistent showing that extrusion often results in a higher quality

ingredient for pigs than conventional soybean meal, there have been no studies comparing the

nutritional quality of extruded soybean meal to fermented soybean meal.

Enzyme use with soybean meal

Enzymes are proteins that increase digestion and absorption of nutrients by breaking

down chemical bonds. Some common enzymes include proteases, lipases, and carbohydrases,

however the most widely used enzyme in swine diets is phytase (Shurson, 2008). While phytase

supplementation in the diets of weaned pigs has been shown to increase P utilization and growth

performance, the response to enzyme supplementation in weaned pigs is variable (Maxwell and

Carter, 2001). Traylor et al. (2001) reported that supplementing growing pigs with phytase did

not increase amino acid utilization from soybean meal, however it did improve Ca and P

utilization. When using plant-based feed ingredients, such as soybean meal, one concern for the

young pig is the amount of fiber present in the ingredient. Therefore, supplementation of

corn/soybean meal diets with enzymes targeting the fiber fractions may allow for increased use

of soybean meal in the diets of young pigs. Olukosi et al. (2007) found that a combination of

xylanase, amylase, protease, and phytase improved performance of 10 kg pigs compared to pigs

not receiving enzyme supplementation. Positive responses to using β-glucanase in weanling

pig’s diets have also been reported, but there is a lack of research to recommend the use of other

enzymes such as arabinoxylanse, xylanase, and amylase in the diets of young pigs (Maxwell and

Carter, 2001).

Anti-nutritional factors in soybean meal

Trypsin inhibitors, lectins, and phytate are common anti-nutritional factors that can be

found in soybeans. Trypsin inhibitors reduce growth performance of pigs by interfering with

protein digestion. (van Heugten, 2001). Heat treatment of soybeans has been shown to decrease

trypsin inhibitor content and improve growth performance of non-ruminants (Woodworth et al.,

2001). Rodhouse et al. (1992) reported that extrusion of soybeans reduced the trypsin inhibitor

content compared to conventionally produced soybean meal. Lectins found in soybeans can

reduce metabolism in the small intestine (van Heugten, 2001). The process used to create

conventional soybean meal reduces the amount of anti-nutritional factors present in raw

soybeans, however, some residual trypsin inhibitors and lectins may still exist and interfere will

digestion and utilization of nutrients in the diet (Feng et al., 2007). Other processing techniques,

such as heat treatment, can reduce the activity of trypsin inhibitors and lectins, however, further

research is necessary to quantify the effects of enzyme supplementation on reduction of anti-

nutritional factors (van Heugten, 2001).

Objectives: The objectives of the research in this current proposal are to: 1.) analyze the nutrient

and energy digestibility of diets containing fermented soybean meal fed to weaned pigs; 2.)

determine if various processing of soybean meal can enhance the growth performance of weaned

pigs; and 3.) quantify the amount of anti-nutritional factors present in soybean meal processed

using various techniques.

It is hypothesized that fermentation of soybean meal will enhance the nutrient

digestibility in weanling pigs compared to conventional soybean meal. Also, processing soybean

meal through fermentation, mechanical processing, or by enzyme treatment would improve the

digestibility of soy protein, therefore enhancing the growth performance of weanling pigs

compared to pigs fed conventional soybean meal. Furthermore, alternative processing techniques

may reduce anti-nutritional factors, such as trypsin inhibitors and lectins.

Methodology: The first phase of this project will be to conduct metabolism trials with weaned

pigs to determine the nutrient and energy digestibility of diets containing fermented soybean

meal compared to conventional soybean meal. Fourteen barrows, weighing approximately 15

kg, will be placed in stainless steel metabolism crates measuring 63” long by 21” wide. Feed

and water will be supplied through a wet/dry mini grow feeder (Rotecna, S.A., Agramut, Spain).

The barrows will be fed a standard nursery diet or the standard nursery diet with fermented

soybean meal replacing conventional soybean meal. Chromic oxide will be added to the diets at

0.5% as an inert marker. Diets will be mixed at the Illinois State University Research Farm. All

diets will be formulated to meet or exceed NRC nutrient recommendations for this age of pig.

Pigs will be adjusted to the diets for 5 days, followed by 3 days of total feces and urine

collection.

Feces and urine will be collected twice per day, at 12 hour intervals. Feces will be

weighed, pooled, and stored in a freezer at -20° C until further analysis. Urine will be collected,

weighed, and a 20% subsample will be stored in a freezer until further analysis. At the

conclusion of sampling, feces and urine will be thawed, pooled by animal, and a subsample will

be taken for analysis. Fecal samples will be dried in a forced-air oven and ground. All feed,

feces, and urine samples will be analyzed in triplicate for dry matter, nitrogen using a Leco

Nitrogen analyzer (Leco Corp., St. Joeseph, MO) and gross energy by bomb calorimetry (IKA,

Wilmington, NC). Using these analyzed values, digestible and metabolizable energy will then be

calculated from gross energy based on methods described by Adeola (2001). Digestibility of

nitrogen will be calculated in the same manner.

Following the metabolism trial, a feeding trial with weaned pigs will be conducted to

compare the growth performance of pigs fed a typical nursery diet with either 1.) conventional

soybean meal, 2.) fermented soybean meal, 3.) heat-processed (extruded) soybean meal, or 4.)

conventional soybean meal with enzyme supplementation. 384 weaned pigs of mixed sex will

be weighed and allotted to 48 pens, blocked by weight and sex, with 4 barrows and 4 gilts per

pen. This will create 12 replicates of each feeding treatment. All diets will be formulated to

meet or exceed National Research Council nutrient recommendations for weaned pigs. Samples

of conventional, fermented, and extruded soybean meal, as well as samples of each complete

diet, will be analyzed for anti-nutritional factors. Water and feed will be provided ad libitum.

Pigs will be fed a standard pre-starter for five days after weaning. Pigs will then be fed their

respective dietary treatment in two phases, with Phase 1 lasting for 14 days and Phase 2 lasting

14 days. Pigs will be weighed and feed disappearance will be measured after each dietary phase

(d 5, d 19, and d 33 after weaning) to allow for calculations of average daily feed intake, average

daily gain, and feed efficiency. At d 0, d 5, d 19, and d 33 after weaning, a blood sample will be

collected from one barrow from each pen via vena cava puncture using a sterile needle and

evacuated tube. The blood sample will be centrifuged and stored in a freezer at -20° C until

analysis of serum urea nitrogen.

Data from the metabolism and feeding trial will be analyzed by ANOVA using the MIXED

procedure of SAS (SAS Inst. Inc., Cary, NC). In the metabolism trial, pig will be considered the

experimental unit, while pen will be considered the experimental unit in the feeding trial.

Treatment means will be separated using the LSMEANS statement and the PDIFF option of

PROC MIXED. Significance will be declared at P < 0.05.

III) NARRATIVE

Introduction

To be successful, farmers must manage several types of risk, including those inherent to

production, marketing, financing, and human resources. A variety of risk management tools and

practices have been developed to help farmers mitigate the wide range of production and

financial risks that result from diseases, insects, and weather (Smith et al., 2007). One specific

tool, crop insurance, provides an effective means for managing production risk. Insurance

products, subsidized by the government, are sold to farmers through private insurance

companies.

Since its inception, crop insurance has gained acceptance among farmers. About 80% of

the acres of major field crops have been insured each year since the late 1990s (Smith et al.,

2007). The Risk Management Agency (RMA) of the United States Department of Agriculture

(USDA) reported that, in Illinois, 71% of soybean acres and 78% of corn acres were insured

during the 2007 growing season (2007 Illinois Crop Insurance Profile). According to RMA, there

are insurance products available for more than 100 crops where corn, soybean, wheat and cotton

crops account for about 75% of total crop insurance premiums (Risk Management Agency,

2009).

When selecting crop insurance coverage, farmers must consider multiple factors. The

importance associated with relevant factors considered when making crop insurance decisions

varies among individual farmers. As crop insurance has evolved, producer acceptance has

increased. While participation in the program is not 100%, crop insurance is a commonly used

risk management tool. Since the 1994 Federal Crop Insurance Reform Act, participation in the

crop insurance program has increased significantly. When considering crop insurance coverage,

farmers currently have a variety of alternatives, ranging from CAT coverage on a county-by-

county basis to revenue or yield protection on individual farm units. Additionally, multiple

coverage levels exist within a majority of existing crop insurance plans. As available crop

insurance options have increased, selecting the appropriate coverage has become a complicated

process. The prevalence of crop insurance participation and the existence of multiple selection

criteria also make understanding participant decisions more difficult.

Federally backed insurance policies (each with multiple coverage levels) include:

Individual farm-unit yield insurance: Multiple Peril Crop Insurance (MPCI) or Actual

Production History (APH);

Individual crop revenue products: Revenue Assurance (RA), Crop Revenue Coverage

(CRC) and Income Protection (IP);

Area yield and area revenue: Group Risk Plan (GRP) and Group Risk Income Protection

(GRIP);

Whole-farm revenue plans: Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) and Adjusted Gross

Revenue-Lite (AGR-Lite) (Smith et al., 2007)

To date, much of the research conducted on the Federal Crop Insurance Program has

examined participation rates and the factors responsible for changes in the level of participation

(Knight & Coble, 1997; Gardner & Kramer, 1986; Calvin, 1992; Coble et al., 1996; Goodwin &

Kastens, 1993; Just & Calvin, 1993). More recent studies have begun to analyze the choices

made among crop insurance products and coverage levels (Makki & Somwaru, 2001; Changnon,

2002; Barry et al., 2002; Serra, Goodwin & Featherstone, 2003; Claassen, Lubowski & Roberts,

2005; Babcock & Hart, 2005; Shaik, Coble & Knight, 2005).

Our study in 2006 (Ginder and Spaulding) found that when asked to identify who most

influenced their crop insurance purchase decision, 40% of the respondents indicated that they

made their 2005 crop insurance purchase decision independently, with no one else influencing

the decision. Meanwhile, 35% of respondents indicated that their crop insurance agent had the

most influence on their purchase decision. Price was most frequently identified as the most

important purchase decision factor when ranked relative to compatibility of the insurance with

grain marketing plans; probability of receiving a claim payment; crop insurance agent

recommendations; and lender requirements to carry crop insurance. Compatibility with grain

marketing plans was the second most frequently chosen factor. Among the following purchase

decision factors: weather concerns, government subsidization of premium, a write-in factor

labeled “other”, unit structure flexibility; crop yield in the previous year; and the insurance

company writing the policy, the write-in factor was rated “very important” by respondents more

frequently than any other factor. Weather concerns were cited as “very important” with the

second highest frequency. Thirty-five percent of the respondents reported that the availability of

a Premium Discount Plan affected their 2005 crop insurance purchase decision. Stratifying the

data by risk tolerance and gross farm income (GFI) revealed that respondents who considered

themselves to be risk takers purchased group products (i.e., GRP or GRIP) more than twice as

frequently for corn and soybean acres compared to their risk averse counterparts. Meanwhile, the

risk averse respondents were more frequently influenced by the recommendations of their crop

insurance agents than were the risk taker group. Both the risk averse and risk taker groups

identified price as most important when asked to rank order five purchase decision factors.

Although we will include some of the questions from the previous study, the proposed study

differs from the previous one in the following ways:

We contacted farmers in Northern Illinois region in 2006. We will contact farmers in

Northern, Central and Southern Illinois. 1st Farm Credit Services in Normal, IL will

provide contact information on farmers in Northern Illinois. Farm Credit Services of

Illinois in Champaign, IL, will provide contact information on farmers in Central and

Southern regions of IL.

Since 2006, a new Farm Bill was adopted (2008). The new Farm Bill has introduced new

commodity support programs such as Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE),

Supplemental Revenue Assistance Programs (SURE), Biotech Yield Endorsement

(BYE), products for additional crops, and new safety nets which could impact crop

insurance purchases. We will include questions regarding the impact of the Farm Bill and

its new safety nets on crop insurance purchase decisions. We will also find out if farmers

in Illinois participated in any of the new programs and whether they substituted away

from crop insurance products.

Previous study found that insurance agents played a major role in crop insurance

purchase decisions (types purchased and coverage levels). Since the Federal Crop

Insurance Corporation (FCIC) sets the premium rates prices for products, crop insurance

providers need to differentiate themselves through their services provided by the agent.

Therefore, we will include questions regarding the characteristics of agents the farmers

value the most. Some of the characteristics include integrity/honesty, knowledge of

agribusiness environment, communication skills, and knowledge of policies.

Problem Statement: Determining which factors most influence farmers’ crop insurance

purchase decisions, understanding how the Farm Bill impacts risk management decisions of

farmers, and determining the most important characteristics of crop insurance agents can be

instrumental in helping the federal government and the crop insurance industry design a more

effective program. Findings could improve the crop insurance products and services available to

Illinois farmers and make the federal crop insurance program more effective in enhancing

farmers’ ability to manage crop production risk.

Objectives

1. To develop a list of factors that could influence crop insurance purchase decisions made

by members of the sample based on the previous study findings and literature review.

2. To collect data using mail survey method.

3. To find out types of risk management tools, including crop insurance, adopted by the

farmers in Illinois.

4. To determine which factors most influence crop insurance purchase decisions made by

farmers in Illinois.

5. To identify most important characteristics farmers look for in a crop insurance agent.

6. To examine impact of 2008 Farm Bill on crop insurance purchase decisions.

7. To analyze differences and similarities between small and large farms, as well as risk

takers vs. risk averse farmers.

Methodology

The mail survey method following Salant and Dillman (1994) survey principles will be used to

collect data. 1st Farm Credit Services and Farm Credit Services of Illinois will provide access to

their customer database. Their database has farmers’ contact information (current and potential

customers of these two companies) as well as farm and farmer demographics like their gross

farm income, age, acres-farmed, and net worth. Demographic information especially will be

helpful to test for non-response bias. Random sampling will be used to select 1,000 farmers from

the database. According to Salant and Dillman (1994), 245 useable questionnaires are needed to

make estimates about the designated population with a sampling error of ±5 percent at the 95

percent confidence level (p.55). This assumes approximately an 80/20 split between those who

utilized crop insurance and those who did not. Contacting 1,000 farmers should provide the

response rate we are expecting to make inference about the farmer population in Illinois. A

donation to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital will be made on behalf of the respondents as

an incentive to participate and therefore increase the response rate.

Subsequent to IRB approval, a pre-notification postcard will be sent to inform the farmers

about the upcoming survey. A week later, a letter explaining the study along with a copy of the

questionnaire and pre-addressed, pre-stamped return envelope will be mailed. Two weeks later a

reminder postcard will be mailed. A week after that, another letter asking for participation with

another copy of the questionnaire and a return envelope will be mailed. Two weeks later, a final

reminder postcard will be mailed.

Data will be entered into an Excel worksheet and will be analyzed using SAS statistical

software. Non-response bias will be tested comparing gross farm income, age, acres-farmed, and

net worth of respondents and non respondents. Descriptive analysis will provide frequencies of

responses to each categorical question in the survey. Means will also be calculated for

continuous variables.

A binary logistic regression will be used to examine the relationship between crop

insurance plan selections (select vs. do not select) and the importance of certain purchase

decision factors, as well as the relationship between crop insurance plan selections and key

demographic information. Several regression models will be developed to examine participation

in each plan for all crop varieties selected by the farmers. A null hypothesis will be developed for

each relationship examined. For example, the null hypothesis that no relationship exists between

the decisions to purchase Crop Revenue Coverage (CRC) for corn acres and the importance of

government subsidization of insurance premiums will be tested. Survey participants will be

asked to indicate if they had purchased CRC for their corn acres in 2008. Responses will be

coded as 0 = “no” and 1 = “yes”. In this particular example, participants’ response to the CRC

question is the dependent variable, while the importance of government subsidization of

insurance premiums is the independent variable. Participants will be asked to rank the

importance of government subsidization of insurance premiums as follows: 0 = “not important”,

1 = “somewhat important” and 2 = “very important”. The resulting probability will indicate the

government subsidization of insurance premiums’ predictive value relative to participants’

selection of CRC for their corn acres. The odds ratio estimate will be calculated by the SAS

software, which indicates how much each unit change in importance of government

subsidization of insurance premiums increases/decreases the odds of CRC being selected.

Descriptive analysis will also be used to identify the most important characteristics

farmers look for in a crop insurance agent. Statistical tests (t-test, Anova, and chi-square) will be

used to test differences in purchasing behavior (selection and coverage levels for each crop)

between small and large farmers, as well as risk takers vs. risk averse (self identification of risk

attitude) farmers. Finally, impact of 2008 Farm Bill on purchase decisions will be evaluated

using descriptive analysis examining if and how the new Farm Bill influenced farmers’ decision

on crop insurance purchases based on types and coverage levels of products (traditional policies

vs. the new products introduced by the Farm Bill) selected. Statistical tests will also be applied to

test differences in the impact of the Farm Bill between large vs. small farms as well as risk

averse vs. risk takers.

Section III. NARRATIVE (not to exceed five single-spaced pages)

Introduction:

Thirty years of research in social psychology has identified universal values shared by people

around the world. The Theory of Universals in Values (TUV) identifies a set of values that span

different cultures, ages, and walks of life (Schwartz 1992). In Information Systems (IS)

literature, the influence of values on system design and implementation, as well as the ultimate

success of such a system has been extensively studied over a similar time period. The

instruments utilized in IS studies of values vary from study to study, and while some have been

validated across different IS settings, much work remains in developing a universal theory of

how values impact software design. The TUV may provide a common starting point for IS

values research.

One particular type of software, open source software (OSS), has been shown to have a

strong core of developer values (Stewart and Gossain 2006). OSS software is developed mainly

by teams of volunteers who collaborate via the Internet to produce software which is then made

freely available to all who wish to use or change it. Many ideological forces led to the creation

of OSS; these are best summed up by the mantra that “software should be free.” The ideological

arguments that accompany this claim essentially parallel the Golden Rule, e.g., do unto others as

you would have done unto you. This means that OSS proponents feel that no one should have

ownership of a computer program and that it should be freely available for other software

developers to modify as they see fit. Many like-minded individuals have joined together to

create software licenses that allow precisely these rights of free access to software and the ability

to customize it.

The idealism that created the concept of OSS ten years ago is also argued to be a prime

motivator for contributions from individuals; that is, there are some individuals who are altruistic

enough to want to donate the fruits of their labors without monetary recompense (Raymond

1999). This idea of altruism does not fit well with many sociological studies which have found

no evidence of altruism in the general population, leading to the question of why OSS developers

should be any different (Markus et al. 2000). A number of recent studies have investigated the

motivations that lead individuals to volunteer their time and talents to OSS projects (Ghosh et al.

2002; Lakhani et al. 2002). While these studies of motivation have found a number of reasons

for contribution, most ask questions that match the ideological statements proposed by OSS

community leaders. Thus, there has been more of a focus on developers and project leaders in

research and less focus on OSS users. In fact, it is assumed that user values closely mirror that of

the leaders of the OSS community. A major outcome of this study will be to examine if this is

indeed the case.

It is important to differentiate between the words “value” and “belief,” since they are

often used interchangeably but have very different meanings in social psychology. A value is a

“shared prescriptive or proscriptive belief that indicates an ideal mode of behavior or desired

state of existence that may be situational or pertain to an object” (Rokeach 1980, p. 262). A

belief is a proposition used by a person to describe, evaluate, or prescribe/proscribe an action

enabling some assessment of the world around them (Rokeach 1968). Values differ from other

beliefs in that they act as standards that go beyond a single evaluation of a choice or a

comparison of an object. A person typically has only a few values but thousands of beliefs. A

value’s importance in a person’s evaluation of the world around them is an integral part of an

individual’s personality and a factor in how a person responds to the environment.

Given the robustness of the TUV – it has been shown to apply equally well to across the

seven continents and a myriad of occupations – it seems likely that the true personal values that

motivate contributions to OSS projects may be better explained in terms of the TUV, rather than

a simple belief that “software should be free”. Thus, the first stage of this research will be to

assess and compare the value structure of OSS developers and users.

The second phase of this study will evaluate OSS user and developer values with

motivating factors to voluntarily participate in an OSS project community. As noted, OSS is

developed primarily by volunteers. These individuals organize into OSS projects, which consist

of the software, the website on which it is hosted, the software developers and users of the

software. Previous OSS studies which have investigated the motivations of contributors have

focused on developers of the software. A large body of literature exists which indicates that

users of the software form a valuable resource to the project by finding bugs and supporting

other users of the software (Lakhani et al. 2003; von Hippel 1986). The values which drive these

individuals to voluntarily offer their services to the project have not yet been investigated. Thus,

the second part of this research will survey all participants in a number of OSS projects gathering

data on their values and motivating factors for participation. From the data collected, it will be

determined whether the motivations of users of the software who contribute to the community

are different from the motivations of the software developers. Since OSS community members are characterized as driven by their beliefs in how open source

development should work and by the ideology surrounding OSS development. This ideology is typified as

encouraging a culture in which “information wants to be free” and of sharing or gift-giving. This research

will investigate the role of personal values in software design on both ends of the spectrum examining the

interaction of developer and users around a particular project, and will pave the way for future research

using a theoretical values framework in other IS studies. Such a theory will form an overarching umbrella

for future studies on values in further OSS and other IS research.

The preliminary work in this area of this study by Hosack and Sagers (2007), examined the

beliefs and values espoused by Linux users and found the values outlined in the TUV to hold for this

group of OSS users. A research paper outlining a proposed model of study was submitted to, and

accepted for presentation at the Americas' Conference on Information systems, a leading conference in IS

research. The collected data was analyzed finding the TUV was valid for OSS project users and the

results are currently under review with an IS journal.

Objectives:

The objectives of this project are to:

1. Survey OSS project developers and OSS users to determine their value orientation and

whether these values are aligned in a similar structure.

2. Determine whether OSS developers are motivated by different value constructs than

users.

3. Illustrate how the values instrument utilized in this research can be applied in other areas of IS

systems design research to incorporate a comprehensive value perspective.

Methodology: Data for this research will be gathered via a survey from the open source project community. The sample

will be drawn from members of projects hosted on Sourceforge, a website which hosts the web pages and

development tools for 140,000 OSS projects, and other OSS developer websites. OSS projects will be

utilized for this study, as existing literature claims that participants are motivated to contribute by their

beliefs and values, while very little literature makes this claim for traditional proprietary software

developers. Additionally, OSS projects are by their very nature open to public access, and maintain large

quantities of archival data, easing data collection. Each step of the study is outlined below.

Step 1. Identify project community members (1-3 weeks)

Project teams will be grouped into small, medium and large categories. A representative stratified sample

of current and active projects will be indentified and contacted for participation. Several projects will be

selected to pilot-test and refine the survey instrument

Step 2. Pilot-test the survey in a sample of OSS projects. (3-4 weeks)

Once projects are identified, a subset will be used to evaluate the survey and provide feedback on

the initial instrument, as well as taking the Portrait Value Questionnaire (PVQ) which measures

the values identified in the TUV (Schwartz 2004). The PVQ instrument used in this research

(Schwartz et al. 2001) uses 40 third person “portraits” to target ten value constructs described by

Schwartz (2004). Each portrait item is a description of an individual that embodies a particular

aspect of a value and loads on that value construct. Subjects rate the relevance of the portrait on

a six point scale from “very much like me” to “not like me at all.” Interviews with OSS users

and developers will be used to identify and evaluate existing motivating factors of participation

in a project community.

Step 3. Analyze pilot data and revise instrument (1-2 weeks)

Data will be examined using Similarity Structure Analysis, a nonparametric scaling technique that groups

similar constructs (Schwartz 2004) to determine the value structure of users and developers. Interviews

will be analyzed and additional survey items will be generated, if necessary.

Step 4. Preparation of a manuscript for submission to a leading Information Systems conference. (2-4

weeks)

A manuscript describing the results of the pilot test will be prepared for submission to a leading

conference in Information Systems. This manuscript will map the values measured in previous OSS

research with those found in the TUV. A theoretical model will be developed that will examine the

influence of values on OSS projects from the perspectives of both users and developers of the software.

Step 6. Invite all who participate in each selected OSS project during a four to six-week period to

complete a web-based survey of values and motivating factors for participating in an OSS project. (6-8

weeks)

Validated survey items will be used to evaluate the influence of values on participation and decision-

making in OSS projects. A follow-up pilot test will be conducted to ensure the validity of the instruments

used in this setting and to test the web-based survey application. The full survey will be administered

once all pilot tests are completed.

One issue found in the previous studies was a low participation rate for surveys. While

not peculiar to this type of research, this problem will be addressed in two ways. First, an

honorarium will be offered for each survey participant, with an additional honorarium offered for

the three projects with the highest participation rate. Second, the analysis phase will utilize a

method, explained below, which allows for smaller sample sizes than typical regression analysis.

Invitations will be sent to each person who participates in the discussion forums of each

OSS project. Each individual will receive a personalized link to the survey, allowing tracking of

participation rates, and subsequent honorariums to the associated projects. Two reminder emails,

at one week and two weeks after the initial contact, will be sent to maximize participation rates.

Step 7. Analysis (2-4 weeks)

The theoretical model proposed in Step 4 will be examined using a Partial Least Square (PLS) model that

will allow for the comparison of the user and developer values and their perceived influence on OSS

project development. PLS is a structural modeling technique that simultaneously assesses the reliability

and validity of theoretical constructs and estimates the relationship between them, while allowing a

smaller sample size and fewer items to accurately measure a given construct than other structural

modeling tools.

Step 8. Preparation of a manuscript of the completed study for submission to a leading journal in

Information Systems. (6-10 weeks)

The research findings will be submitted to a top-tier, peer-reviewed journal in the Information

Systems field. The journal will be selected based on topic fit and alignment with journals

identified as relevant by the faculty in ITK.

Section III. NARRATIVE

Introduction

Hybrid instruction is a new but yet natural and evolutionary trend faced by educators at higher

education institutions (O’Laughlin, 2007). These educators have a long history of teaching

courses in a face-to-face (F2F) format and start seeing more online courses delivered via internet

and other alternative media. Hybrid instruction is an instructional delivery model to reap the

benefits of F2F classroom instruction and online instruction, whose emphasis is not on the

technology but on pedagogy (Arabasz & Baker, 2003; Aycock et al., 2002; Berman, 2001).

Researchers reported various benefits of the hybrid instructional approach from the student,

faculty and institutional perspectives. These include, but not limited to: flexible learning

environment; improved communication and interactions; more productive teaching and active

learning; maximizing the limited institutional resource (Dziuban et al., 2004; Gould, 2003;

Garnham & Kaleta, 2002; Leh, 2002; Lindsay, 2004 Paine, 2003; Spilka, 2002; Young, 2002)

Studies also reported improved learning outcomes, increased attendance, positive student

perceptions on hybrid courses (Dewhurst et al., 2000, King and Hildreth, 2001; Tuckman 2002;

Yazon et al. 2002).

Proposed Project

Research Questions

Even though the existing research has discovered hybrid instruction’s benefits and improved

student performances, little information is available on how lab-based courses can be converted

to the hybrid format and its effectiveness as an alternative delivery method (Riffell & Merrill,

2005.

By comparing the conventional delivery and hybrid methods in a lab-based construction

management class, this study seeks two factors associated with student learning: 1)

understanding of technical functions in the construction project management area; and 2) student

perception on the hybrid delivery method. The following questions will guide this study:

1. Are there differences in students’ performance in understanding the subject matters when

taught in a hybrid format vs. a traditional format (100% face-to-face delivery)?

2. How do the perceptions of construction students exposed to the hybrid course delivery

differ from those students enrolled in the conventional classes?

Methodology: Sample and Procedures

This study utilizes a quasi-experimental research design as shown in Figure 1. Study participants

are enrolled in a lab-based construction management class where they learn fundamental

functions for managing construction projects such as planning, estimating, scheduling, and

control. This course is unique in that the instructor not only teaches technical contents via

lectures but also provides lab-hours for discussions and hands-on exercises. The course will be

offered in two different sections: one section of 25 students will be assigned as a control group

and the other section of 25 students will be an experimental (treatment) group.

O

X

O

X

O

X

O

X

O

X

O

X

W3 W4 W5

O X

W3 W4 W5

O X O X

...

... ...

...

Conventional F2F Course Delivery

Hybrid Course Delivery (50% F2F + 50% Online)

[F2F] [F2F] [F2F] [F2F] [F2F] [F2F]

[F2F] [Online] [F2F] [Online] [F2F] [Online]

Control

Group

Experimental

(treatment)

Group

O X: Technical content delivery (lecture) : Lab hour (discussion & hands-on exercise)

Figure 1. Conventional Course Delivery vs Proposed Hybrid Delivery

The control group will be taught in a conventional 100% face-to-face (F2F) format as shown in

Figure 1 above, where one class meeting is comprised of the lecture-based content delivery for

the first hour (“O” in the upper diagram of Figure 1) and lab hands-on activities/ discussion in

the second hour (“X” in the upper diagram of Figure 1). The classes are offered twice a week in

a designated class room setting and the same process continues throughout a semester. Note that

this delivery format has been practiced by the instructor for the last 5 years, which means he has

developed and maintained a right amount of course materials for one semester.

The experimental group will be taught in a 50-50 hybrid format so that half the class meetings

will be done in a F2F format and the other half will be delivered online entirely. Instead of

combining technical lecture and lab experience together in every class meeting, in this delivery,

the instructor delivers the entire technical subject matter of a given week in one online course

(“X” in the lower diagram of Figure 1) mainly through pre-recorded video lectures. Students are

required to finish the online lecture for the week and associated assignments at their own pace

and convenience until they come to the next week’s F2F class (“O” in the lower diagram of

Figure 1). In this ensuing F2F class, the instructor and students only engage in learning by

relying on hands-on exercises and discussions, which is based on the technical understanding of

the subject matter the students acquired in the previous week’s online class. Based on the

progress made, the instructor posts the pre-recorded video lecture on another technical topic for

the week’s online class and the same process repeats every week throughout the semester. Note

that the instructor covers the same amount of technical subjects for his lectures and learning

activities as in the conventional 100% F2F class.

The overall design of this study is presented in Figure 2, where A and B represent control and

experimental groups. The methods represent the conventional F2F delivery and the hybrid

delivery method.

Figure 2. Study Design Diagram

Methodology: Data Collection and Analysis

For research question #1, two different data sources will be collected. One is formal assessment

instrument (quizzes and exams) consistent with the construction management concepts covered

in the learning activity and additional data will be gathered from a performance-based

assessment on the construction project management skill sets. The assessment materials

developed by the American Institute of Constructors will be utilized to increase the assessment

credibility. The same content will be assessed for both the treatment and control groups. A t-test

will be conducted to assess differences in learning outcomes.

For research question #2, the study will utilize a Course Delivery Format Survey. It will be used

to assess students’ perceptions on the course delivery method they experienced. The survey

questions are as follows:

Did the course delivery format encourage and support students to take responsibility

in their learning?

Did the course delivery format allow the development of high quality interaction

between students and the instructor?

Did the course delivery format help improve active learning and participation of

students?

Was the course delivery format suitable to students’ varying abilities, learning needs

and preferences?

Did the course delivery format encourage students to develop deep understanding of

major construction management functions?

Was the course delivery influenced by students’ input (questions, ideas, expression of

interest)?

A level how much students agree with each question will be asked and it will be converted to a

numerical value (“Strongly Agree” is given 5 points, “Moderately Agree” 4, “Neither Agree or

Disagree” 3, “Moderately Disagree” 2, and “Strongly Disagree” is given 1). The data will then

be analyzed using a t-test to determine if there are differences between the two groups of

students for their perception on the respective learning environments.

Research Question Data Sources Analysis

Learning Differences

- Quizzes & exams

- Performance-Based Assessment

t-test compare mean score of

treatment and control groups

Student Perceptions - Learning Environment Survey t-test compare mean score of

treatment and control groups

Methodology: Mitigation of the Concerns related to the Study

Since this study is a quasi-experimental study that uses the intact, already established course

sections, it is important to note the following. The treatment group and control group, each of

which uses the entire students in each section, are almost identical in such characteristics as

gender, time the groups meet, size of the groups, and major. The pre-test, however, will be

conducted to adjust the groups statistically, if there is any.

Project Implications

If the study outcome indicates that the hybrid course instruction is as effective as the traditional

course delivery, courses relying on active learning activities via lab hours can maximize its

instruction efficiency by mixing online components with the existing F2F classes. However, this

will lead to a more fundamental question “how much of online class portion needs to be mixed

with the F2F course modules to maximize the student learning outcomes and what are the factors

affecting that decision ?” This warrants further in-depth research and future grant writing efforts.

Section III. NARRATIVE (not to exceed five single-spaced pages) Introduction:

In 2005, the Illinois Juvenile Division was separated from the Department of Corrections,

which oversees both juvenile and adult correctional institutions, creating a new Illinois

Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ). The IDJJ operates eight youth institutions or youth

centers, ranging from minimum to maximum-security facilities. Since its inception,

approximately 1,800 youths have been sent to IDJJ, costing the state over $100 million. The cost

of incarcerating one juvenile offender in a state facility was $70,827 per year, compared to

$15,000 for providing services in the community. The rate of recidivism (reoffending) among

youths released from IDJJ and returned within three years was 48%. These numbers do not

include those youths who later became involved with the adult criminal justice system (Illinois

Department of Human Services, 2008). Despite the proven ineffectiveness of incarceration on

youths and the enormous financial burden to taxpayers, many nonviolent youths, especially

minority youths, are committed to state correctional institutions. Two major factors seem to

influence juvenile institutionalizations. First, lack of local services, and second, the cost of

committing juveniles to state correctional institutions is paid by the state and not by the counties.

The latter factor has historically influenced counties to unintentionally encourage incarceration

of nonviolent juvenile offenders.

To address the issues, Illinois has taken significant steps toward reform of its juvenile

justice system (Coldren, 2006). In the late 1990s and early 2000s, advocacy organizations and

groups initiated several juvenile justice reforms in the Chicago area and statewide, culminating

in the creation of the IDJJ, Redeploy Illinois (RI) programs, youth advocacy initiatives, and the

Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative, all with the aim of reducing disproportionate minority

confinements, and raising the age of majority to 18 (Coldren, 2006). The Redeploy Illinois law

(2004) recognized the need to provide funding to counties so that the youths can receive services

in the community rather than being committed to IDJJ. In turn, counties are obligated to reduce

IDJJ commitments by 25%. Failure to reduce the commitments will result in financial penalties

and the counties will have to pay the state the cost of incarceration in a state facility. The RI

project excludes youths who have committed murder or Class X Forceful Felonies (e.g.,

aggravated sexual assault, aggravated assault with a weapon, or robbery).

In 2008, McLean County was awarded a planning grant to study the trends and types of

commitments, services provided, gaps in services, and justice-system issues. Upon completion of

the planning grant, the county received funding for a pilot grant ($280,000). The PI was awarded

a contract ($38,000) by the county to work on both the planning and pilot grants. The grant

required that the county assess the needs of youths and address their risk factors; develop and

offer evidence-based programming (e.g., Multi-systemic Therapy, Functional Family Therapy);

and reduce IDJJ commitments, including minority commitments. The pilot study does not

include interviews of key players to assess their attitudes and perceptions of the program. The

proposed URG project will address these issues and interview youths, families, victims, and key

stakeholders.

Literature Review

Studies have shown that offenders sent to prison recidivate at a higher rate than those given

probation (Spohn & Holleran, 2002). In addition, high levels of incarceration are often

concentrated in impoverished communities, with devastating effects on families and

communities (Mauer & Chesney-Lind, 2002). Advocates of incarceration theory argue that when

incarcerations increase, crime rates decrease (Zedlewski, 1987). This theory is premised on the

basis of a small number of offenders who pose a threat to society, and, therefore, need to be

isolated from the rest of the society (Greenwood & Abrahamse, 1982; Office of Juvenile Justice

& Delinquency Prevention, 1995). The high-risk offenders represent 15% of youths, yet they

commit 75% of all violent offenses (Huizinga et al., 2000). Based on the belief that isolation of

offenders reduces crime, punitive juvenile court policies and long-term incarcerations gained

momentum in the 1980s. Many states, including California, Texas, New York, and Illinois,

passed a number of statutes designed to promote higher rates of youth incarcerations based on a

“get tough policy.” In 1994, California lowered the age of adult court transfer from 16 to 14. The

“three strikes” law also placed certain juveniles (16 or older) eligible for longer sentences (Males

et al., 2006).

Even today, many states try 13- or 14-year-olds as adults for a broad range of offenses,

including nonviolent crimes (Piquero & Steinberg, 2006). In addition to an increase in recidivism

among released offenders, the cost to tax payers is enormous. California, for example, spends

more than half a billion dollars to incarcerate fewer than 2,000 youths, whereas almost the same

amount of money can provide community-based prevention and intervention services to over

100,000 youths. This disparity would be justified if incarceration proved to be effective.

California prison data, however, show that 75% of the incarcerated youths reoffend within three

years of release. In addition to the cost of incarceration, states such as California, Texas, and

Ohio are facing additional financial burden stemming from lawsuits contending “chronic and

systemic abuse” in juvenile prisons (National Juvenile Justice Network, 2008, ¶ 2). New York is

planning to close four out of five juvenile prisons over complaints of “inadequate programming

and unsafe conditions” (National Juvenile Justice Network, 2008, ¶ 2.).

This financial strain, coupled with limited success with incarceration of youths, has

caused many states to rethink their priorities and reallocate funding from state-funded youth

prisons to treatment and services within the state-funded community programs. These funds are

not to duplicate existing services, but to be utilized for developing evidence-based community

services. The Reclaim Youth program in Ohio, Youth Aids in Wisconsin, and Redeploy in

Illinois have developed fiscal realignment programs. Although the nature of services provided by

these states may differ from one another, they all work toward reducing overrepresentation of

minorities in the juvenile justice system, providing effective mental health services in the

community, and helping young people to become productive citizens. In order to successfully

implement these strategies, public awareness and support are critical. Research has shown that

the public values community-based programs, especially for nonviolent youths, over

incarceration.

Public Perception of the Juvenile Justice System.

A public perception poll conducted by the Center for Children’s Law and Policy (2007) shows

strong support for juvenile justice reform in Illinois, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, and Washington.

The public favored rehabilitation, treatment, and community supervision and supported the idea

of moving juveniles out of state correctional institutions and placing them in community-based

facilities. They also supported redirecting funds spent on incarceration into community-based

programs. As for minority youths, the public viewed that poor youths, African American youths,

and Latino(a) youths are likely to receive more severe sanctions than Caucasian youths. Other

studies also show growing public support towards community-based treatment of delinquent

youths (Piquero & Steinberg, n.d.).

Redeploy Illinois Project.

Four pilot sites (Macon, Peoria, St. Clair, and the Second Judicial Circuit with 12 rural counties)

initially received the RI grants. Evaluation of the programs shows success in terms of cost

reduction and a decrease in overall incarcerations. Approximately 400 youths were diverted from

commitment to IDJJ, representing a 51% reduction. The estimated cost savings to the state was

$19 million. Besides the cost, the RI programs show success in mobilizing communities,

providing direct services to youths, and diverting the youths from further involvement in crime.

To improve community awareness, and to recognize the issue, RI program evaluators

recommend interviews with youths, family members, victims, and key players. The proposed

URG will conduct in-depth interviews to identify attitudes and perceptions of stakeholders.

Members of the Illinois Redeploy Oversight Board, the Illinois Department of Human Services,

and McLean County Court Services have shown support for the study. The study will serve as a

model for other counties and states.

Objectives

The goal of the proposed project is to assess the impact of the Redeploy Illinois program on

juveniles, families, victims, service providers, and the justice system. The following are the

specific objectives:

1. Assess the attitudes and perceptions of youths (approximately 10–15) regarding the services

received and the Redeploy Illinois program;

2. Examine the views of family members of RI youths;

3. Assess the views of victims of youths on RI program versus incarceration; and

4. Analyze the views of the probation officers, attorneys, and service providers

These objectives will allow examination of a number of research questions:

1. What is the impact of the Redeploy Illinois program on youths in terms of meeting their

psychological, social, educational, and medical needs? (Objective #1)

2. How do youths view their placement in community-based programs versus commitment to

IDJJ? (Objective #1)

3. What is the impact of the Redeploy Illinois program on the families of youths who are placed

in the community-based programs? (Objective #2)

4. What are the views of the victims of youths regarding community-based placement of youths

versus commitment to IDJJ? (Objective#3)

5. What are the views of probation officers, defense and prosecuting attorneys, and service

providers regarding the Redeploy Illinois program and the youths placed in the program?

(Objective#4)

6. What contextual factors (e.g., race, age, prior offense, lack of services) affect the placement of

youths in community-based program versus commitment to IDJJ? (Objective#4)

Methodology:

Data Collection The proposed study will primarily use the probation records of youths who are eligible for the RI

program. Once the juveniles are identified, social history information will be gathered from the

hard files, housed in the McLean County Probation Department. The RI planning grant reports

72 commitments involving 52 youths to IDJJ from 2004–2007. These included 28 court

evaluations and 44 full commitments. Of the 52 youths, 78% (n=41) were males and 21.2%

(n=11) were females. Caucasians (46.2%, n=24) and African Americans (48.1%, n=25) were

represented in almost equal numbers, although the population of African American youths in the

county between the ages of 13 and 20 was approximately 10%. The county will start placing

eligible youths in the RI program starting from February 2009. We anticipate an average of 10–

12 juveniles placed in the program per year. As required by the RI pilot grant, the PI is currently

working with RI program coordinators. At a recent meeting, the PI informed the members of

Redeploy Illinois Oversight Board, Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative, and Department of

Human Services, her plan to conduct a qualitative study of RI participants. The agencies have

agreed to provide full cooperation and have shown an interest in expanding the study in other

counties. The following section explains specific data collection strategies.

Objective 1: The PI will begin gathering information pertaining to the youths as early as June 1,

2009. Even this initial data collection will, of course, be preceded by IRB approval for the entire

study. The youths will be informed of the purpose of the study, the length it will be take to

complete the interview, and the confidential nature of the study. They will also be informed that

they can stop the interview at any time. We anticipate that the interview will take approximately

30–45 minutes. These interviews will be typed into a laptop computer at the time of the

interview or audio-taped and transcribed later. Questions include services offered, youths’ views

about the services received, and their attitudes towards the program.

Objective 2: Interviews of family members or primary caregivers will be conducted to assess

their views about the program versus commitment to IDJJ. These interviews will last anywhere

from 30–45 minutes. These will be either entered into a laptop at the time of the interview or

audio-taped and transcribed later. These interviews will be conducted following the IRB

protocol.

Objective 3: Victims will be identified from the probation files and, with their consent, will be

interviewed to assess their views regarding placement of youths in community-based programs

versus incarceration. These interviews will be conducted following the IRB protocol.

Objective 4: Two probation officers, 4 attorneys (two defense attorneys and two assistant

prosecuting attorneys), and service providers will be interviewed to gather information pertaining

to their views on RI youths and whether the program is meeting the overall goal of the program.

The interviews of probation officers and attorneys will be conducted in the courthouse. The

county has selected three local agencies to provide services to youths. These interviews will

address the service gaps and areas for improvement. These interviews will detect any contextual

factors (race, age, prior offense, risk levels of youths, family stability, gang involvement, lack of

services, etc) that might contribute to disproportionate minority confinement.

Analysis The qualitative data will be analyzed to gain insight into subjects’ views about the Redeploy

program, in addition to identifying whether the program met the needs of the youths. Analyzing

this unstructured information will be tedious and time-consuming. Therefore, the researcher will

use computer software (ATLAS-ti). ATLAS-ti is a powerful tool to analyze large body of textual

data. First interviews will be either directly entered into a laptop computer or audio-taped,

depending on the situation. If audio-taped, the interviews will be transcribed. Once the

interviews are entered in to a word document, the data will be coded using two types of coding:

question-level coding and thematic coding. Question level coding will identify responses for

specific questions, whereas thematic coding will identify themes such as social needs, medical

needs, psychological needs, educational needs, community-based placement, positive views,

negative views, etc. Finally, ATLAS-ti will be used to identify, based on frequency of the terms,

which factors are important across all groups and subgroups.

Section III. NARRATIVE (not to exceed five single-spaced pages)

TIMELINES

1) Timeline

TASK 2009 2010

JULY A S O N D J F M A M JUNE

Finalizing questionnaire;

IRB application/approval;

Assembling survey/letter/envelopes;

Mailing pre notification postcards

X

Mailing first survey/letter/return envelopes;

Mailing reminder postcard X X

Mailing second set of survey/letter/return envelopes;

Mailing final reminder postcard X X

Entering data into Excel X X X

Analyzing data X X

Writing a manuscript X X X

Submitting paper presentation proposal to

Agricultural and Applied Economics Association

annual meetings and/or NC1014 Agricultural and

Rural Finance Markets in Transition regional

meetings

X

Submitting manuscript to Agricultural Finance

Review Journal and/or Journal of ASFMRA X X

Timeline July, 2009: A proposal for the use of human subjects will be submitted to the Illinois State University

Institutional Review Board. A web-based survey will be created to assess all constructs of interest. September – October, 2009: Students will be invited to participate in the study and the survey will be

administered to students via the internet in a computer lab within the selected school. November, 2009 – January, 2010: The data will be organized and analyzed in order to address the

research objectives. A paper will be submitted for presentation at the annual meeting of the North

American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity. January – July, 2010: A manuscript will be prepared and submitted to a high-quality, peer-reviewed

journal in the field of sport psychology (e.g., the Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology).

Timeline:

Aug, 09 Sep, 09 Oct, 09 Nov. 09 Dec, 09 Jan, 10 Feb, 10 Mar, 10 Apr, 10 May, 10 Jun, 10 Jul, 10Jul, 09 Aug, 10 Sep, 10

Test technology options for hybrid delivery

Develop instruction materials

Prepare measuring

instruments

Analyze data

Conduct treatment and gather post-

treatment data

Disseminate outcomes

Spring Semester, 2010

BUDGET JUSTIFICATIONS

Budget Justification

1) Personnel Services

Salary: If CAST matches, a little less than quarter of a month of salary is requested to support

time spent on designing a questionnaire, assembling the mailings, data entry and analysis,

writing a manuscript, and preparing a presentation. then almost half a month of salary is

requested.

2) Operations

Contractual: University mail services will be used to mail postcards and survey/letter/return

envelope packages. This also includes cost of estimated number of returned surveys.

Commodities: The following commodities are needed: Printing of surveys and postcards (using

University Printing Services), letterhead for letters, envelopes (large outgoing and small return).

Cost of both contractual and commodities are calculated based on contacting 1,000 farmers. If 1st

Farm Credit Services and Farm Credit Services of Illinois provide additional funds (besides for

donation) than we will contact more farmers.

Travel: To partially cover travel expenses including lodging, airfare, and registration for the

Agricultural and Applied Economics Association (AAEA) meetings in Denver, CO and/or

NC1014-Agricultural and Rural Finance Markets in Transition regional meetings (location yet to

be announced). I will apply for minority travel grants from AAEA which I was able to secure in

the past to help with travel expenses.

Budget Justification Instructions: Each budget item must be clearly and completely justified. (See

guidelines for details); remember to justify any request for CAST matching funds.

This salary request represents a portion of one month’s salary and is being requested for July, 2009. These

funds will support several research activities related to this proposed project that will take place during

summer, 2009. These include preparing and submitting the IRB application, meeting with school

administrators to organize the project, and creating the online questionnaire. This salary stipend will also

support activities that take place during the fall, 2009 and spring, 2010 including a) inviting students to

participate in the project and seeking parental consent, b) administering the online questionnaire to

students, c) organizing, managing, and analyzing data, d) interpreting results and submitting a paper for

presentation at a national conference, and e) writing and preparing a manuscript to submit for publication.

Budget Justification Instructions: Each budget item must be clearly and completely justified (See

guidelines for details); remember to justify any request for CAST matching funds). Salary of $4000 for the investigator is requested for the period July 1 – July 31, 2009. Funds are intended

to cover two weeks administering the finalized survey and two weeks for starting the data analysis. An

amount of $750 will be used to provide participant incentives outlined in step 6. Finally, $250 with a

$250 match is requested for travel to present the work in 2010. The travel fund match will help offset the

rising costs of travel.