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Sociocultural Factors, Definitions, And Experiences Of Intimate Partner Violence Among Latina And Hispanic Women, Vanessa Centelles
Sociocultural Factors, Definitions, And Experiences Of Intimate Partner Violence Among Latina And Hispanic Women, Vanessa Centelles
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a pressing public health concern in the United States (US), particularly for women. Some studies have shown that Hispanic and Latina women are at an elevated risk of experiencing IPV due to a notable passiveness of violence among traditional Hispanic and Latina women. Thus, it is crucial for research to examine the effects of sociocultural variables—such as cultural orientation, gender norm beliefs, and ethnic identity—on IPV within this demographic, particularly for women in the US. Furthermore, while the experiences of IPV victimization among Hispanic and Latina women have begun to be recognized in the broader …
The Contributions Of Mental Health Issues, Traumatic Brain Injury, And Adverse Childhood Experiences To Recidivism Among Rural Jail Incarcerees, Lauren N. Miley
The Contributions Of Mental Health Issues, Traumatic Brain Injury, And Adverse Childhood Experiences To Recidivism Among Rural Jail Incarcerees, Lauren N. Miley
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Recidivism should be a major concern, particularly for American jails. The Unites States incarcerates 2.3 million people, a number exceeding rates in any other country. Approximately 90% of those individuals will reenter society at some point, and roughly half of those people will ultimately return to jail. This revolving door costs U.S. taxpayers upwards of $39 billion per year, and undermines public safety. Therefore, breaking this cycle of incarceration and recidivism is of utmost concern, and the focus of this dissertation. Mental health problems, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are three potential risk factors for recidivism …
Assessing The Relationship Between True Crime Documentary And Podcast Consumption, Fear Of Crime, And Protective Behaviors, Lauren A. Tremblay
Assessing The Relationship Between True Crime Documentary And Podcast Consumption, Fear Of Crime, And Protective Behaviors, Lauren A. Tremblay
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
This study examines how the consumption of true crime documentaries and podcasts is linked to the fear of crime and the adoption of protective behaviors. Building upon prior research that explores these relationships, this study aims to evaluate the impact of true crime content consumption and fear of crime on individuals’ engagement in protective behaviors. Using a cultivation theory framework with an analytic sample of 665 American adults, three Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regressions and one structural equation model are used to evaluate the relationship between true crime documentary and podcast consumption, fear of crime, and protective behaviors. Results suggest …
Damned & Damned: Examining Vexatious Litigation And The Vexatious Litigant Statute In Florida Courts, Sarah L. Harper
Damned & Damned: Examining Vexatious Litigation And The Vexatious Litigant Statute In Florida Courts, Sarah L. Harper
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
This dissertation examines self-represented litigants subjected to limitations under the Vexatious Litigant statute (F.S. 68.093) and related case law. It draws data from official records, surveys, interviews with judges, and a thematic analysis of court orders. The present research consists of two studies: Study I focuses on the application of Florida's Vexatious Litigant statute and similar sanctions, and Study II explores judges' decision-making in cases involving challenging self-represented litigants. Restrictions on litigants' court access raise concerns about due process rights, and an assessment of the use of these sanctions and litigants' practices is vital for understanding their application. The findings …
Police Officers’ Perceptions Of Gunshot Detection Technology, Courtney L. Weber
Police Officers’ Perceptions Of Gunshot Detection Technology, Courtney L. Weber
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Prior research has shown that police officers’ perceptions has an influence on technological advancement implementation into an agency. Prior gunshot detection technology (GST) research has looked at how effective the technology is at decreasing response times, bringing gunfire to the attention of police, and tracking gun crime trends in the jurisdiction. However, it remains unknown whether police officers support the use of GST technology, and whether they feel that there is sufficient training and support available to them to utilize GST effectively. Therefore, this thesis aims to address several central questions regarding police officers’ perceptions of GST, their support for …
Efficacy Of Online Social Movements For Sparking Change: The Case Of The Missing Murdered And Indigenous Women Movement (#Mmiw), Kacy A. Bleeker
Efficacy Of Online Social Movements For Sparking Change: The Case Of The Missing Murdered And Indigenous Women Movement (#Mmiw), Kacy A. Bleeker
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
The current study examined the context of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Movement (#MMIW) in the context of activist engagement, media representations, and public awareness and beliefs related to the movement. The present study framed the movement within the context of social movement theory, intersectionality, and feminism, to determine the applicability of these frameworks in explaining an Indigenous social movement. While the use of social media to facilitate and mobilize social movements is not a new phenomenon, limited research has examined the functionality of online social movements, particularly in the context of movements concerned with intersectional identities. Research highlights, …
Threats To School Safety: Examining Levels Of Community Violence And Its Relation To School-Related Threats, Dorie Ross
Threats To School Safety: Examining Levels Of Community Violence And Its Relation To School-Related Threats, Dorie Ross
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Despite significant media attention provided to school-based acts of violence, these tragic incidents are relatively rare across school environments, leading to increasing challenges in identifying students who may pose a threat. Previous approaches to school discipline, including policies such as zero tolerance, resulted in significant racial disparities among students who received disciplinary consequences inconsistent with the severity of their behaviors or threats. Alternatively, a relatively recent approach that emerged following a series of school shootings in the 1990s was school threat assessment, which focuses on prevention rather than prediction. While it is important to determine students who may pose a …
Standing Her Ground: Legal Constraints On Women Who Have Been Victims Of Violence, Janae E. Thomas
Standing Her Ground: Legal Constraints On Women Who Have Been Victims Of Violence, Janae E. Thomas
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Women who have been the victim of violence have always been at a disadvantage under the laws in the United States because these laws stem from a patriarchal, sexist, heteronormative, and racist ideology under which this country was founded. Self- defense laws have shown to be no different and serve as a constraint to women who attempt to protect themselves at the hands of an abuser. This dissertation focuses on women who have been the victim of violence at the hands of an abuser to show that the law is not doing an adequate job of protecting them. It accomplishes …
Employing Individuals With A Criminal Record: How Prior Experience And Belief In Redeemability Impact Hiring Decisions, Kiera O'Connor
Employing Individuals With A Criminal Record: How Prior Experience And Belief In Redeemability Impact Hiring Decisions, Kiera O'Connor
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
This study sought to better understand the mechanisms that play a part in employers’ hiring decisions when considering an applicant who has a criminal record. Specifically, two key variables were analyzed as a predictor of an employers’ willingness to hire (WTH): the presence and quality of an employer’s prior experience (PE) having hired an individual with a criminal record, and the extent to which they hold a belief in the redeemability (BiR) of those with a criminal record. Further, the current study aimed to contribute to the body of literature pertaining to WTH, PE and BiR by introducing BiR as …
The Invisible Victims Of Commercial Sexual Exploitation: Boys And Their Barriers To Access To Services, Amanda L. Connella
The Invisible Victims Of Commercial Sexual Exploitation: Boys And Their Barriers To Access To Services, Amanda L. Connella
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
While there has been a large body of research conducted on girl (under the age of 18) victims of commercial sexual exploitation, boy (under the age of 18) victims do not seem to receive the same attention. From the few studies that have been conducted, boys and young male victims of commercial sexual exploitation have been shown to have gender specific barriers that prevent them from getting help, yet not many papers explore this unique problem. Using survey data from key providers that work in programs that serve commercially sexually exploited boys, the present study fills this hole in the …
An Examination Of Racial Disparities In Arrest Across Florida Counties, 1998-2018: A Test Of The Racial Threat And Political Representation Hypotheses, Xavier D. Burch
An Examination Of Racial Disparities In Arrest Across Florida Counties, 1998-2018: A Test Of The Racial Threat And Political Representation Hypotheses, Xavier D. Burch
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this dissertation is to examine variations in the racial distribution of reported arrests across counties, and whether those outcomes are related to racial demographics variables and measure of the political structure in the State of Florida. The study seeks to bring awareness to the importance of representation of minorities by conducting a test of Blalock’s minority threat theory and extending the theory through the examination of political variables across Florida counties. Arrest and population data from 67 Florida counties along with the racial composition of the Florida State House of Representatives from 1998 to 2018 are utilized …
Integrating Psychopathy Into Prominent Developmental/Life-Course Theories, Eva M. Fontaine
Integrating Psychopathy Into Prominent Developmental/Life-Course Theories, Eva M. Fontaine
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Despite empirical research identifying psychopathy as one of the most robust predictors of criminal behavior, calls to integrate psychopathy into criminological theory have largely been unrequited. Within criminological theory, the construct of psychopathy has been proposed to best fit in the developmental/life-course (DLC) paradigm. As such, the purpose of this dissertation was to explore the theoretical integration of into psychopathy into three DLC theories: (1) Moffitt’s (1993) Dual Taxonomy, (2) Gottfredson & Hirschi’s (1990) General Theory of Crime, and (3) DeLisi’s (2009) Unified Theory of Crime. In doing so, the three studies in this dissertation employed the Pathways to Desistance …
Juvenile Homicide Offenders: A Life-Course Perspective, Norair Khachatryan
Juvenile Homicide Offenders: A Life-Course Perspective, Norair Khachatryan
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Murder by offenders under the age of 18 is a cause for public concern, despite the overall decrease in the rate of juvenile-perpetrated homicide since 1994. Due to several rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court (i.e., Miller v. Alabama, 2012), the likelihood that convicted juvenile homicide offenders (JHOs) will be released from prison has increased. Accordingly, it is important to examine these offenders’ long-term readjustment to society after their release. Using a mixed-method approach, the present study was designed to explore the factors that influence whether JHOs reoffend and their reoffending patterns, over a period of approximately 35 years. Another …
Hope 4 Boys: The Impact Of A Youth Diversion Program, Justine C. Connolly
Hope 4 Boys: The Impact Of A Youth Diversion Program, Justine C. Connolly
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) is developing programs targeting first-time nonviolent offenders who might benefit from community-based treatment and positive youth development to prevent these individuals from becoming adult criminals. Thus, the DJJ seeks new and innovative ways to prevent juvenile delinquency and reduce recidivism among first-time nonviolent offenders. The present study aimed to evaluate the Hope 4 Boys program, a juvenile diversion program that addresses the academic and social-emotional needs of juvenile delinquents. The study examined how participation in the program is associated with changes in participants’ levels of hope for the future, life satisfaction, and resiliency …
A Macro Social Examination Of The Relationship Between Disabilities And Crime Using Neighborhood And County Level Data, Natasha A. Baloch
A Macro Social Examination Of The Relationship Between Disabilities And Crime Using Neighborhood And County Level Data, Natasha A. Baloch
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Over the last few decades, there has been a consistent increase in mental illnesses in the US population. This has also lead to increased interactions of those with mental illnesses and/or disabilities with law enforcement and the criminal justice system. Despite these instances, there is limited research on the relationship between disabilities, mental health issues and crime in the large body of criminological research. Further, the current extant research is a) outside the field of Criminology, b) primarily focuses on those with only intellectual or developmental disabilities and/or c) does not examine this relationship at the macro level, despite evidence …
Testing The Protest Paradigm And Racial Threat: Analyzing Articles Of Blm Protests In 2014 And 2020, Rebecca Angela Ruiz
Testing The Protest Paradigm And Racial Threat: Analyzing Articles Of Blm Protests In 2014 And 2020, Rebecca Angela Ruiz
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
The study examines the media coverage of Black Lives Matter protest in years 2014 & 2020. I collected a sample of articles (n=120) from 6 national-level media outlets that varied in political leans. Using the Protest Paradigm and Racial Threat theoretical frameworks to analyze the results, findings suggest that the articles do reflect upon the Protest Paradigm through overall negative sentiment and significant references to looting. I also argue that articles may also reflect racial threat due to a lack of transparency of protesters’ racial makeup or diversity attending demonstrations.
Racial Differences In Perceptions Of Sanction Severity, Sarah L. Franklin
Racial Differences In Perceptions Of Sanction Severity, Sarah L. Franklin
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Research has consistently found an association between race and relative perceptions of incarceration severity. Black people view incarceration as less severe than an equivalent period of probation. However, few studies have examined why this relationship exists. The present study surveys a large sample of young adults to examine whether the observed relationship between race and incarceration severity can be replicated. In doing so, the study then considers whether constructs related to socioeconomic status, criminal system experiences, perceptions of legitimacy, and sanction attitudes explain the racial divide. Results indicate a significant relationship between race and incarceration severity, such that Black people, …
Exploring The Effectiveness Of A Life-Skills Program In A Florida Prison Through A Social Bond And General Strain Theory Perspective, Danielle M. Thomas
Exploring The Effectiveness Of A Life-Skills Program In A Florida Prison Through A Social Bond And General Strain Theory Perspective, Danielle M. Thomas
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Prison programs have existed for decades; however, recent attention towards prison reform has raised awareness of the importance of correctional education. Research has shown that many of these programs are highly effective for incarcerated individuals in that program participation is likely to decrease recidivism and increase post-release employment success. Using in-depth interviews with 40 currently incarcerated men – 20 of whom participated in a 2-year prison program (the LIFERS program) and 20 who did not – and matched institutional records for visitation and disciplinary infractions, this study expands on the current research by assessing additional measures of program efficacy, including …
Online Perceptions Of Panamanian Prisons And Incarcerated Persons: An Analysis Of Youtube User Comments, Mahaleth J. Sotelo
Online Perceptions Of Panamanian Prisons And Incarcerated Persons: An Analysis Of Youtube User Comments, Mahaleth J. Sotelo
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this study is to explore and understand the frameworks in which prisons and incarcerated persons are discussed amongst commenters under YouTube videos displaying media on Panamanian prisons. The study incorporates a mixed methods approach by conducting a general content analysis of YouTuber comments to address themes within the discussion. Additionally, these themes were quantified and modeled using predictive variables collected such as number of comment likes, number of comment dislikes, and number of comment replies, alias type (screen name or name-like), presence of profile picture, and profile picture type. The themes found were 1) punitive, 2) justifying …
Criminalizing Lgbtq+ Jamaicans: Social, Legal, And Colonial Influences On Homophobic Policy, Zoe C. Knowles
Criminalizing Lgbtq+ Jamaicans: Social, Legal, And Colonial Influences On Homophobic Policy, Zoe C. Knowles
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Based on colonial and neocolonial models of oppression, Jamaica has adopted many laws, policies, and systems mandated by the British monarchy. Many of these laws contain anti-LGBTQ+ policies which remain in effect today. To address the criminalization of LGBTQ+ identities, I used queer theory and queer criminology to analyse the ways Jamaica constructs LGBTQ+ people as criminals and how they are treated in the legal and criminal justice systems from a postcolonial standpoint. Using a qualitative text-based feminist and queer policy analysis, I investigated social, legal, and colonial influences on current anti-LGBTQ+ policy by looking at the Offences Against the …
Racial Threat Theory: A Test Of The Economic Threat Hypothesis, Carl L. Reeds
Racial Threat Theory: A Test Of The Economic Threat Hypothesis, Carl L. Reeds
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Racial disparities in the criminal justice system are well documented. While one potential contributor to these disparities may be differential offending on the part of racial groups, another alternative or additional explanation is racial discrimination. Blalock developed racial threat theory to explain macro-level discrimination. According to this theory various forms of “threat” posed by minority populations to majority populations leads to more formal social control or disparate formal social control, such as the formal social control that is imposed by the criminal justice system. According to Blalock, “economic threat” occurs when the Black population has large or increasing economic resources …
The Ring Of Gyges 2.0: How Anonymity Providing Behaviors Affect Willingness To Participate In Online Deviance, Cassandra E. Dodge
The Ring Of Gyges 2.0: How Anonymity Providing Behaviors Affect Willingness To Participate In Online Deviance, Cassandra E. Dodge
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Anonymity has long been discussed as a source of disinhibition. The myth of the Ring of Gyges illustrates how a person may act immorally solely because they know they will not be caught (Plato, 375/2017). Incorporating perspectives of rational choice and deterrence, anonymity serves as a form of risk reduction within hedonistic calculus (Beccaria, 1764/1963; Bentham, 1781/2000). Analogous to the myth of the Ring of Gyges (Plato, 375/2017), techniques of anonymity “hide” users from others while online. These techniques serve as a form of risk reduction, reducing the certainty of punishment (Becarria 1764/1963). Additionally, there are many ways by which …
Morality And Offender Decision-Making: Testing The Empirical Relationship And Examining Methodological Implications, Jacquelyn Burckley
Morality And Offender Decision-Making: Testing The Empirical Relationship And Examining Methodological Implications, Jacquelyn Burckley
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Rational Choice (RC) theory has become one of the most influential theories in criminology and social science with a wide body of empirical support indicating that offending is associated with anticipated costs and benefits. Although RC theory has been widely researched and supported, one area that is largely underemphasized in this theory’s discourse is morality. The present study draws on a sample of undergraduate students from a large southeastern university using a drinking and driving scenario to extend the RC literature theoretically and methodologically.
The theoretical results indicate that, consistent with prior literature, morality, certainty, and severity were directly, inversely …
Clean Water For All: Examining Safe Drinking Water Act Violations Of Water Systems And Community Characteristics, Junghwan Bae
Clean Water For All: Examining Safe Drinking Water Act Violations Of Water Systems And Community Characteristics, Junghwan Bae
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Drinking water systems in the United States confront several challenges such as aging infrastructure, polluted source water, and fragmented systems. The burdens, however, are not equally distributed across the nation. Disadvantaged communities such as communities of color are disproportionately affected by drinking water-related problems.
This study focuses on drinking water quality violations and slow enforcement actions of Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) during 2016 to 2018. The EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) was used to obtain violation records and characteristics of community water systems. The data set in this study contains 21,845 community water systems. Based on the …
A Macro Analysis Of Illegal Hunting And Fishing Across Texas Counties: Using An Economic Structural Approach, Leo J. Genco Jr.
A Macro Analysis Of Illegal Hunting And Fishing Across Texas Counties: Using An Economic Structural Approach, Leo J. Genco Jr.
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this disseration is to examine the distribution of illegal hunting and fishing violations across Texas counties in respect to the economic structure. Illegal hunting plays a part in the extraction of resources that are overly withdrawn, and criminologists have ignored this form of deviancy that has large ramifications for the environment. To view this criminal phenomenon, the study uses the Treadmill of Production theory to determine economic structural factors and whether those factors explain the distribution of illegal hunting and fishing. Using regression analyses and SatScan, the findings suggested that while there are significant factors related to …
Self-Protection In Cyberspace: Assessing The Processual Relationship Between Thoughtfully Reflective Decision Making, Protection Motivation Theory, Cyber Hygiene, And Victimization, C. Jordan Howell
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
The current study, using structural equation modeling, assesses the processual relationship between thoughtfully reflective decision making (TRDM), theoretical constructs derived from protection motivation theory (PMT), cyber hygiene, and online victimization to determine the cognitive decision-making process that leads to the adoption of online self-protective behaviors, which reduces the occurrence of victimization experiences. Findings, derived from a general sample of Internet users in the United States, reveal: (1) engagement in cyber hygiene practices, as a form of target hardening, decreases Internet users’ experiences with online victimization; (2) thoughtfully reflective decision makers, in the face of cyber threats, develop higher threat appraisals …
Mental Health And In-Prison Experiences: Examining Socioeconomic And Sex Differences In The Effect Of Mental Illness On Institutional Misconduct And Disciplinary Segregation, Rachel E. Severson
Mental Health And In-Prison Experiences: Examining Socioeconomic And Sex Differences In The Effect Of Mental Illness On Institutional Misconduct And Disciplinary Segregation, Rachel E. Severson
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Mental health problems have become a common occurrence in American correctional settings. This occurrence is not equally distributed in terms of gender; incarcerated women have higher rates of mental illness incarcerated men (Bronson & Berzofsky, 2017; James & Glaze, 2006). This phenomenon is problematic as research suggests that American correctional institutions are ill equipped to treat and manage inmates with mental health problems (Arrigo & Bullock, 2008; Bennion, 2015; Clark, 2018). This is also true in women’s prisons as they are often tasked to deal with strict budgetary restrictions and have fewer resources compared to men’s prisons (Holsinger, 2014; Stephan, …
Toxic Colonialism And Green Victimization Of Native Americans: An Examination Of The Genocidal Impacts Of Uranium Mining, Averi R. Fegadel
Toxic Colonialism And Green Victimization Of Native Americans: An Examination Of The Genocidal Impacts Of Uranium Mining, Averi R. Fegadel
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
While the field of criminology has delved into environmental justice issues in Black communities through the exploration of urban exposure to toxins, it has failed to expand this research orientation to examine issues affecting peoples in different locations, which in the U.S. draws attention to the green victimization of Native Americans. In short, existing criminological research has largely ignored the social, economic, and environmental injustices experienced by Native Americans. This study addresses this research gap by exploring environmental justice issues as they relate to the ways toxic colonialism affects Native Americans. Specifically, this study confronts historic and current struggles endured …
Cross-National Incarceration Rates As Behavior Of Law, Christopher J. Marier
Cross-National Incarceration Rates As Behavior Of Law, Christopher J. Marier
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Incarceration rates vary substantially around the world. However, systematic cross-national comparisons examining such variation are rare. Using Donald Black’s theory of law, and further informed by other theories in the sociology of punishment with conceptual overlap, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the structural and cultural factors that influence incarceration rates around the world. Using data from the World Prison Brief, World Values Survey, CIA World Factbook, and other international datasets, this study evaluates a series of ordinary least squares regressions in 66 nations. This study is one of few macrosocial tests of Black’s theory of law to …
The Effects Of Perceived Motivations And Mental Distress On The Likelihood Of Reporting And Engaging In Self-Protective Measures Among Victims Of Stalking, Daniela Oramas Mora
The Effects Of Perceived Motivations And Mental Distress On The Likelihood Of Reporting And Engaging In Self-Protective Measures Among Victims Of Stalking, Daniela Oramas Mora
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
The current study examines how perceived motivations and mental distress affect decision-making among victims of stalking. Although stalking victimization has become relatively common in recent years, with approximately 1 in 6 women reporting to have been victims of stalking at some point in their lives, victims of stalking are unlikely to report to police compared to victims of other violent crimes (NISVS, 2015). Though studies have explored the dynamics of stalking, little is known about the role of the victim’s perception of the offender’s motivation in the victim's decision to report to the police and engage in self-protective measures. The …