Digital Commons Network^™

The Role Of Investigative Genetic Genealogy In The Field Of Criminal Justice, Chloe Haas

Honors Projects

Investigative genetic genealogy is an investigative method used by law enforcement to solve crimes. It involves the uploading of DNA found at a crime scene to genealogy databases to narrow down the suspect pool. The research question for this study is: Is law enforcement’s use of investigative genetic genealogy ethical? I conducted ten interviews with individuals who had a background in the Criminal Justice field, the legal field, the forensics field, and the field of genealogy to see their opinions on this topic. A majority of the participants in this study stated that they believe that law enforcement should be …

Controlling The Narrative: The Effects Of Media Coverage On Fear Of Crime And Socio-Political Ideology, Andrew Koppelman

Theses

Several decades of study have established an understanding that media have a unique power to influence the perspectives and worldviews of audiences. This phenomenon has been explored through the lenses of Social Learning and Cultivation theory, wherein media appeal to base human tendencies of self-preservation and teaches audiences how to maximize rewards for their actions by acting as a sort of instructor or friendly warning from members of the community. While prior studies have suggested the presence of this effect, little research has been devoted to understanding the ways that this may influence behaviors in viewers. My research seeks to …

Exploring Police K-9 Deaths, Their Causes, And Possible Remedies, John Wise

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Police K-9s face daily dangers due to their work. Data collected by the Officer Down Memorial Page from 2000-2023 on K-9 deaths (N = 405) shows that of K-9s that die in the line of duty, many fall victim to heat stroke. Research was conducted comparing heat stroke to all other causes of death. Through an exploration into the history of mankind’s use of working dogs, the unique capabilities of both dogs and K-9 specific dog breeds and applying Routine Activity Theory and Lifestyle Routine Activity Theory to police K-9s, this study’s objective is to bring awareness to, and …

Comparative Analysis Of Prosecutor-Led Diversion Programs: Insights To Japan’S Suspension Of Prosecution For Recidivism Prevention, Mio Hagino

LL.M. Essays & Theses

Around 60% of all crimes in Japan are committed by repeat offenders, and therefore preventing recidivism is a central concern in Japan. Recognizing the importance of early intervention, some prosecutors’ offices collaborate with social workers and provide necessary measures for recidivism prevention when prosecution is suspended. To promote prosecutor-led recidivism prevention, there is an ongoing discussion to legislate the approach currently taken by prosecutors’ offices. However, concerns remain about procedural fairness, transparency of prosecutorial discretion, and collaboration with other agencies. In the United States, prosecutor-led diversion programs are adopted in many states, with ongoing research on their effectiveness and challenges. …

Redefining Rehabilitation: Evaluating The Washtenaw County Pre-Plea Diversion Program, William Ellsworth

CMC Senior Theses

The Washtenaw County (MI) Prosecutor’s Office’s Pre-Plea Diversion Program (PPDP) aims to divert eligible misdemeanor defendants from the criminal justice system, offering rehabilitative programming to reduce reoffending and minimize the collateral consequences of a criminal conviction with case dismissal. This research assessed whether PPDP participants were less likely to be re-arrested in the six months following program completion compared to a sample of defendants facing similar charges within the same court. It was hypothesized that the PPDP would effectively reduce re-arrest, with community service and mental health counseling proving particularly impactful. Employing a quasi-experimental design, data from 90 successfully diverted …

Redistributing Justice, Benjamin Levin, Kate Levine

Scholarship@WashULaw

This article surfaces an obstacle to decarceration hiding in plain sight: progressives’ continued support for the carceral system. Despite increasingly prevalent critiques of criminal law from progressives, there hardly is a consensus on the left in opposition to the carceral state. Many left-leaning academics and activists who may critique the criminal system writ large remain enthusiastic about criminal law in certain areas—often areas where defendants are imagined as powerful and victims as particularly vulnerable. In this article, we offer a novel theory for what animates the seemingly conflicted attitude among progressives toward criminal punishment—the hope that the criminal system can …

What Are The Causes And Remedies Of Wrongful Convictions?, Audree Alick

The Mid-Southern Journal of Criminal Justice

Wrongful convictions, also known as miscarriages of justice, are very common in the criminal justice system today. With the first known wrongful conviction in 1872, to the most recent in 2023, researchers have similarly identified three causes of wrongful convictions: false confessions, eyewitness errors, and investigative misconduct. Wrongful convictions can cause many physical and mental effects on post-exonerees and currently incarcerated individuals, including but not limited to, clinical anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Analyses of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) have proven instrumental in cases of wrongful convictions. Each exoneree should have access to the DNA database to test against the DNA evidence …

Offender Reintegration In Nevada: A Longitudinal Study Focusing On Transitional Challenges, Reentry Capital, And Recidivism, Carolyn S. Willis

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Offender reintegration (reentry) depends on offender motivation, public policies, community efforts, and resources provided through government and nonprofit sectors. As individuals are released from incarceration and reintegrate into the community, they are often dependent on resources provided by different service providers and the community. The role of the community is crucial as resources are oftentimes not accessible. Lack of employment and housing, mental health issues, substance abuse, and the inability to reestablish personal relationships diminish the prospects of successful reintegration and increase the chances of reincarceration. Reentry capital delivered through community-based programs addresses the transitional issues justice-impacted individuals encounter post-incarceration. …

Do Frameworks Matter? Testing The Framing Effect On Public Support For Prison Pell Grants, Natalie Miles Burke

Dissertations and Theses

Postsecondary college education (PSCE) services are a rehabilitative program that offers adults in custody (AICs) the opportunity to earn a college degree while incarcerated. Research has shown that AICs participating in PSCE services reduce the likelihood of future incarceration as well as higher self-esteem and confidence levels. In 2015, President Obama’s Second Chance Pell Pilot program reinstated federal financial aid for AICs to access PSCE services. Although the Second Chance Pell Pilot program has continued to grow since then, little research has been done on public perceptions toward prison Pell Grants.

This thesis studies how offender crime type and sentence …

Developing Qualitative Research Questions For Illinois Post-Release Prison Analysis, Kiera Eckhardt

Stevenson Center for Community and Economic Development—Student Research

The Illinois Sentencing Policy Advisory Council (SPAC) partnered with Dr. Kathryn Bocanegra of the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) to conduct a two part research study examining the impact of long term prison sentences in Illinois state facilities. This study is unique, in that it incorporates both quantitative and qualitative methodologies in its data collection and analysis. The purpose of this report is to exemplify the process used to develop the qualitative research interview questions for the UIC study. Components of this process, including relational meetings, and recommendations provided by stakeholders in the criminal legal system for conducting post-release …

Legitimate And Deceptive Media: An Analysis Of Sources Used In Conjunction With #Defundingthepolice Using Twitter Api, Isabel Tilford

Honors Theses

The idea of defunding the police has been circulating on social media for the past few years. This thesis seeks to analyze what types of sources people use in conjunction with the #DefundthePolice hashtag to define their understanding of defunding the police. Using Twitter API to search for #DefundthePolice, Tweets were analyzed and rated based on the credibility of links embedded within each post. Each link was assigned a credibility rating of one through three, one meaning not credible, two meaning somewhat credible, and three meaning credible. Each link was classified into one of eight categories: news, statements, advertisements, advertisements/propaganda, …

“Progressive” Prosecutors And “Proper” Punishments, Benjamin Levin

Scholarship@WashULaw

After decades of relative inattention to prosecutorial elections, academics and activists recently have focused on “progressive prosecutors” as a promising avenue for criminal justice reform. That said, the growing literature on progressive prosecutors reflects little clarity about what makes a prosecutor “progressive.” Recent campaigns suggest disparate visions of how to operationalize “progressive prosecution.” In this chapter, I describe four ideal types of progressive prosecutor: (1) the progressive who prosecutes, (2) the proceduralist prosecutor, (3) the prosecutorial progressive, and (4) the anti-carceral prosecutor. Looking to sentencing policy as a case study, I examine how these different ideal types illustrate different visions …

Protection Or Control? – The History & Impact Of The Major Crimes Act On Native Americans And Its Future In Criminal Law, Cameron A. Garrow

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In this thesis, I traced the history of the Major Crimes Act of 1885, focusing on United States Supreme Court cases regarding the Act's enforcement and its constitutionality. In particular, analysis focused on how the USSC's decisions affected Native Americans within the field of criminal law, both as defendants and victims, and how these decisions prove to be contradictory or unjustly detrimental in nature. There is also focus on the ongoing issues in the state of Oklahoma resulting from the Major Crimes Act's enforcement that have begun to spread from a state-level crisis into a nationwide problem. The thesis concludes …

A Commentary On Qualified Immunity In The Aftermath Of City Of Tahlequah V. Bond, Delores Jones-Brown, Paul Reck, Richard C. Helfers, Henry F. Fradella

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications and Presentations

In this Article, we argue that the Bond decision continues a line of judicial decisions that make it difficult for plaintiffs to seek civil redress against officers who cause serious injury or death to private citizens. We note that this judicial trend runs counter to public demand for police accountability and thwarts the legislative intent behind the enactment of 42 U.S.C.A. § 1983. We suggest that police practice, policy, standards and training-not judicial opinions ­should govern whether officers will be immune from the conse­quences of their actions, especially in areas where a substantial amount of empirical evidence exists to alert …

Prosecuting The Crisis, Benjamin Levin

Scholarship@WashULaw

Over the past decade, activists and academics have celebrated the rise of the so-called “progressive prosecutor” movement. District attorney candidates—often former public defenders or civil rights lawyers—have promised to use prosecutorial discretion to address the injustices of the criminal system. A proliferation of such campaigns, and the electoral successes of some of these candidates have raised questions about progressive prosecution: what does it actually mean to be a progressive prosecutor? Does progressive prosecution work? Do progressive candidates follow through on campaign promises? And, how enthusiastic should defense attorneys, reformers, and critics of the carceral state be about progressive prosecution? The …

After The Criminal Justice System, Benjamin Levin

Scholarship@WashULaw

Since the 1960s, the “criminal justice system” has operated as the common label for a vast web of actors and institutions. But, as critiques of mass incarceration have entered the mainstream, academics, activists, and advocates increasingly have stopped referring to the “criminal justice system.” Instead, they have opted for critical labels—the criminal legal system, the criminal punishment system, the prison industrial complex, etc. What does this re-labeling accomplish? Does this change in language matter to broader efforts at criminal justice reform or abolition? Or, does an emphasis on labels and language distract from substantive engagement with the injustices of contemporary …

Criminal Justice And Criminal Justice News, Georgia Southern University

Criminal Justice & Criminology News (2012-2023)

• Internship Showcase

Cheating From A Distance: An Examination Of Academic Dishonesty Among University Students, Timothy K. Daty

Doctoral Works at the University of New Haven

Academic dishonesty among college students has been an enduring issue within higher education. While prior research has explored this issue, the recent global pandemic has shifted collegiate demographics dramatically, particularly within online courses. As a result, previous findings may prove less applicable, warranting new research into student cheating within this current educational landscape. Given these new enrollment trends, this study investigated intentions to cheat in traditional and online class settings, and for criminal justice and non-criminal justice majors. Utilizing principles of rational choice theory, other factors related to academic misconduct also were explored.

For this study, original data were collected …

Hate Crimes Across Nations, Amanda Mcvey

Honors Program Contracts

No abstract provided.

Federal Emergency Management Within The Field Of Criminal Justice, Maeve Dubiel

Criminology Student Work

No abstract provided.

The Future Of Policing, Marissa Eastwood

Criminology Student Work

No abstract provided.

An Inside View Of The Child Welfare System, Hana Abualragheb

Criminology Student Work

No abstract provided.

Victim Advocacy, Morrison Kristin

Criminology Student Work

No abstract provided.

U.S. Immigration Policy, Glenda Nieves

Criminology Student Work

No abstract provided.

Incarcerated Veterans Treatment And Services, Victoria Evans

Criminology Student Work

No abstract provided.

Municipal Police Officers: Responsibilities, The Hiring Process, The Challenges They Face, And Possible Solutions, Isabella Palmeira

Criminology Student Work

No abstract provided.

A Career With The Massachusetts State Police, Michael Germano

Criminology Student Work

No abstract provided.

Criminology & Criminal Justice Professional Development Program For Undergraduates, Zinha Andrade

Criminology Student Work

No abstract provided.

Japanese Criminal Justice: A Comparative Legal History Perspective, Koji Fujimoto

Japanese Society and Culture

The Carlos Ghosn case has focused the world’s attention on Japan’s criminal justice system. In particular, the system has been subject to intense criticism, condemning its reliance on confessions in investigation, and for proof of guilt. The investigative approach of using physical restraints on suspects and defendants to coerce confessions is critically referred to as “hostage justice”. While the Japanese Ministry of Justice and the Public Prosecutor’s Office have responded to such criticisms by arguing for the uniqueness of the legal system, the problematic nature of this aspect of Japanese criminal justice cannot be denied, as noted by past false …

Legalizing Marijuana, Psilocybin Mushrooms, And Mdma For Medical Use, Nicholas Duneman

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Leadership

Knowing the countries drug history will allow the reader to understand how policies have changed throughout our countries short history. The Drug Enforcement Administration Drug Schedule, the Uniform Code of Military Justice, Department of Defense policies, the Air Force’s drug policies and the Department of Veterans Affairs policies is what is holding back the legalization of medical marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, and Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) for treatment options for federal employees, current military members, and veterans who suffer from chronic pain and Post-traumatic stress disorder. Being a change agent within your organization will help push for drug reform within the federal government. …