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Articles 1 - 19 of 19
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With Liberty And Justice For The Wealthy: The Criminalization Of The American Poor, Ashlyn Dickmeyer
With Liberty And Justice For The Wealthy: The Criminalization Of The American Poor, Ashlyn Dickmeyer
Honors Theses
The last phrase of the Pledge of Allegiance states “with liberty and justice for all”. However, not everyone has access to this liberty and justice. Liberty and justice can be bought in this country for a price, and those who can’t afford to pay it are often left in the hands of those who can. One of the most prominent ways to see this is by analyzing the criminal justice system. Despite clauses in the Fourteenth Amendment and court cases like Gideon v. Wainwright (1963) establishing and upholding that the poor are entitled to equal treatment within the criminal justice …
A Comparative Analysis Of Statutory Remedies For Wrongful Convictions In The Fifty States, Abigail St. John
A Comparative Analysis Of Statutory Remedies For Wrongful Convictions In The Fifty States, Abigail St. John
Honors Theses
Thousands of individuals have been wrongfully convicted across the United States. When an exoneration occurs, an individual’s conviction is absolved, and their innocence is proved through newly discovered evidence. While it might be impossible to protect from the errors of the criminal justice system, it is in the hands of the state to compensate the wrongly convicted. There is an abundance of research that focuses on reforming the existing wrongful conviction compensation legislation, but there is a lack of scholarly data that explains the motivations behind this compensation. Moreover, few researchers have considered the role of partisanship and political parties …
Civil Commitment: An Assessment Of The Alcohol And Drug Statute In Mississippi, Elizabeth Foley
Civil Commitment: An Assessment Of The Alcohol And Drug Statute In Mississippi, Elizabeth Foley
Honors Theses
This thesis assesses the alcohol and drug commitment statute in Mississippi. Substance use disorder has impacted millions of people around the world, including within the U.S. Civil commitment is one of the many policies aimed at helping those with substance use disorder; however, it is highly debated and under researched. This thesis looks specifically at the alcohol and drug commitment statute in Mississippi, interviewing legal and medical professionals who are responsible for implementation of this statute. The findings of this thesis include a lack of uniformity in the implementation of the statute and several areas where procedures can and ought …
Hate Crimes: A Statistical Comparison Of Reported Hate Crimes And Victimizations During The Obama And Trump Administrations, Daniel Ramsey
Hate Crimes: A Statistical Comparison Of Reported Hate Crimes And Victimizations During The Obama And Trump Administrations, Daniel Ramsey
Honors Theses
This thesis attempts to study and assess potential trends in reported hate crime statistics under the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program database along with hate crime victimizations under the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) during President Obama’s first term (2009-2012) and President Trump’s term (2017-2020). The research question addressed in this study includes: a) What trends are evident during the Obama and Trump administrations regarding hate crimes? To assess potential trends in hate crimes and victimizations, a series of charts and tables were compiled that contain the total number of hate crimes …
The American Prosecutor And The Carceral State: An Analysis To Address Prosecutorial Power And Discretion In An Effort To Reduce Overincarceration In The United States, Olivia Jordan
Honors Theses
There is perhaps no other actor within our legal system that shares more power and control over the carceral state than the American prosecutor. This thesis examines the powers of the prosecutor at every stage of criminal procedure, how these powers contribute to the carceral state, and how prioritizing prosecutorial policy reform can effectively reduce persistent mass incarceration in the United States. This thesis uses three criteria- effectiveness at reducing overincarceration, feasibility of implementation, and ethical impact- to critically evaluate several proposals for addressing prosecutorial power and discretion. Ultimately, the thesis recommends a combination of three proposals for a more …
A Case For The Decriminalization Of Simple Possession Of Narcotics In Mississippi, Stroud Tolleson
A Case For The Decriminalization Of Simple Possession Of Narcotics In Mississippi, Stroud Tolleson
Honors Theses
Through its incarceration of simple possession offenders, Mississippi is failing to acknowledge the severity of addiction and importance of mental health. In this paper, I will examine Mississippi’s history of opinion and policy on drug use. In order to gain a better understanding of addiction and Mississippi’s criminal justice system, I interview several individuals with experience in varying aspects of these issues. Mississippi has one of the highest rates of incarceration in the United States, with stringent laws regarding the possession of narcotics. Mississippi’s mental health resources have been deemed unconstitutionally deficient on more than one occasion, and addicts are …
Childhood Trauma And Substance Use: Differences By Race And Sex In Juvenile Justice Prevention Programs In Nebraska, Sophie Holtz
Childhood Trauma And Substance Use: Differences By Race And Sex In Juvenile Justice Prevention Programs In Nebraska, Sophie Holtz
Honors Theses
This study seeks to analyze whether demographic factors such as gender and race have a relationship to the reporting of trauma symptoms in juveniles. This study also examines whether higher substance use has a relationship to higher reports of trauma symptoms. To gather this data, surveys were administered to juveniles involved in juvenile justice prevention programs across the state of Nebraska. Overall, we found that juvenile girls reported significantly higher amounts of trauma symptoms than boys do. There was also a significant difference in how much juvenile girls report using cannabis compared to juvenile boys. Furthermore, there was not a …
Hbo’S "The Wire" And Its Portrayal Of Baltimore Politics, Schools, And The Judicial System In Season 4: Was It Accurate Then And Does It Stand The Test Of Time?, Josephine Klingeman
Hbo’S "The Wire" And Its Portrayal Of Baltimore Politics, Schools, And The Judicial System In Season 4: Was It Accurate Then And Does It Stand The Test Of Time?, Josephine Klingeman
Honors Theses
This thesis is a content analysis of HBO’s fourth season of The Wire. After conducting an in-depth analysis of the content in the thirteen episodes of season four, I then assessed the level of accuracy in the show’s portrayal of two major topics discussed throughout the season: Witness protection and police informant harassment. I did so by conducting several interviews with professionals who have several decades of experience working in the criminal justice system. I compared their personal experience with witness protection programs, witness harassment, and police informant harassment with the content presented in The Wire on these topics. …
Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind: Analyzing Inhumane Practices In Mississippi’S Correctional Institutions Due To Overcrowding, Understaffing, And Diminished Funding, Ariel A. Williams
Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind: Analyzing Inhumane Practices In Mississippi’S Correctional Institutions Due To Overcrowding, Understaffing, And Diminished Funding, Ariel A. Williams
Honors Theses
The purpose of this research is to examine the political, social, and economic factors which have led to inhumane conditions in Mississippi’s correctional facilities. Several methods were employed, including a comparison of the historical and current methods of funding, staffing, and rehabilitating prisoners based on literature reviews. State-sponsored reports from various departments and the legislature were analyzed to provide insight into budgetary restrictions and political will to allocate funds. Statistical surveys and data were reviewed to determine how overcrowding and understaffing negatively affect administrative capacity and prisoners’ mental and physical well-being. Ultimately, it may be concluded that Mississippi has high …
Analyses Of Prosecutorial Power And Discretion In Mississippi: Evaluating Proposals To Address Misconduct And Abuse, Lucy Pruitt
Analyses Of Prosecutorial Power And Discretion In Mississippi: Evaluating Proposals To Address Misconduct And Abuse, Lucy Pruitt
Honors Theses
This thesis seeks to create a policy proposal in order to address incidences of prosecutorial misconduct and abuse of discretion in the Mississippi criminal justice system. To do so, the author has summarized and analyzed seven criminal cases in which defendants have become victims of prosecutorial misconduct in order to shed light on the lack of prosecutorial accountability in the state’s criminal justice system. In an attempt to solve the problem, the author has developed a novel grading rubric in order to objectively and systematically analyze and evaluate previously proposed policy recommendations by legal experts and justice organizations. The successes …
Protective Services Or Protecting The Service? An Analysis Of The United States Child Protection System, Margaret Ann Donnell
Protective Services Or Protecting The Service? An Analysis Of The United States Child Protection System, Margaret Ann Donnell
Honors Theses
In its recent history, the United States child protection system has proven to fulfill a desperate need within our nation regarding the welfare and well-being of our nation’s children. An overview of the child protection system’s development shows tremendous progress has been made. And yet, what was created to be a solution to the growing number of children experiencing maltreatment in the form of abandonment, abuse, and/or neglect, has potentially become the very problem. Statistics illustrate just how serious the situation has and will continue to become if something is not done. Serious concerns have arisen and remain, and individuals …
Mandatory Minimum Penalties: An Analysis Of Four State’S Penal Codes And Federal Court Policies, Cassie Geiken
Mandatory Minimum Penalties: An Analysis Of Four State’S Penal Codes And Federal Court Policies, Cassie Geiken
Honors Theses
In Nebraska, variations of bills attempting to amend mandatory minimum laws in the state have been introduced. The harshness of the mandatory sentences, as well as the looming state of emergency caused by prison overcrowding, have sustained the debate over sentencing laws. This essay identifies the core issues of mandatory minimum sentencing laws and analyzes the states of Nebraska, Texas, Alabama, California, and the federal system’s use of mandatory minimums for felony charges to identify potential solutions. Statute review found that Nebraska’s current sentencing codes are misaligned with the rest of the nation; not even Alabama with one of the …
Firearms Trafficking To Chicago: Connections And Implications, Elizabeth Jamell Benner
Firearms Trafficking To Chicago: Connections And Implications, Elizabeth Jamell Benner
Honors Theses
The initial purpose of this study was to determine which counties contributed the most to the firearms trafficking route between Mississippi and Chicago, Illinois, and to understand which sociodemographic features may differentiate those counties from their lesser-trafficking counterparts. In order to address any firearms trafficking route, law enforcement agencies must understand the underlying causes and enabling factors. Initial studies of Mississippi counties showed trends of median household income, poverty, and racial disparities. These trends were compared with high-trafficking counties in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin in order to see if sociodemographic factors associated with firearms trafficking are state-specific or may be …
Why Isn’T There A Garden At School? Assessing Five River Metro Parks’ Green Schoolyards Program, Kaleigh Jurcisek
Why Isn’T There A Garden At School? Assessing Five River Metro Parks’ Green Schoolyards Program, Kaleigh Jurcisek
Honors Theses
School gardens have been shown to have positive effects on children’s academic performance and personal lives. Five Rivers’ Metro Parks has a program in place to encourage and assist schools, within the Dayton region, to implement school gardens and/or habitats. This research examines the efficacy of the Green Schoolyards program through surveys and interviews with teachers and staff of 15 schools where the program has made at least one contact. This research will help inform the Five Rivers staff by identifying perceived benefits and constraints related to implementing school gardens, and may facilitate the expansion of the Green Schoolyards program. …
An Analysis Of Entrepreneurial Education In The Criminal Justice System, Austin Powell
An Analysis Of Entrepreneurial Education In The Criminal Justice System, Austin Powell
Honors Theses
Currently, American federal and state prisons release more than 600,000 offenders each year that contribute to the estimated 70 million or more Americans that have some form of criminal record. By holding a criminal record, successful reentry for offenders are difficult because the criminal record serves as a barrier to public benefits. There are many correctional education programs designed to help offenders while in prison to overcome these barriers. Entrepreneurial education programs are becoming more popular, due to the positive recidivism and post-release employment results. The purpose of this study is to compare entrepreneurial education to other programs while analyzing …
Perceptions Of University Community Members Regarding Alcohol Restriction Policies, Katherine A. Meeker
Perceptions Of University Community Members Regarding Alcohol Restriction Policies, Katherine A. Meeker
Honors Theses
There has been a growing concern regarding sexual assaults on college and university campuses. The push to decrease sexual assaults has lead researchers and universities to examine alcohol abuse as a contributing factor. Many colleges and universities have developed new policies for alcohol restriction, but they have done so without taking into consideration the views of the campus community. In the absence of collaboration between the campus community and university administration, such policies will likely be ineffective. This study explores the beliefs, perceptions, and attitudes of the campus community regarding alcohol restriction policies at The University of Southern Mississippi.
Exploring Discipline Policy Problems In Mississippi Pre-K, Briana A. O'Neil
Exploring Discipline Policy Problems In Mississippi Pre-K, Briana A. O'Neil
Honors Theses
This thesis seeks to examine the current state of discipline in publicly funded pre-K in Mississippi to determine policy that state policymakers can implement to prevent excessive suspensions and expulsions. This thesis also takes into account racial disparities found in disciplining pre-K students and explores methods that Mississippi can add to pre-K discipline policy as a preventive measure. Two case studies on North Carolina and Tennessee are utilized to identify potential strategies that Mississippi education can learn from. After analyzing both states, I realized that positive behavior reinforcement had success in both states. North Carolina's Positive Behavior Support and Intervention …
Crime And Security In Brazil: Brazil's Pacification Efforts In The Favelas Of Rio De Janeiro, Susan C. Shea
Crime And Security In Brazil: Brazil's Pacification Efforts In The Favelas Of Rio De Janeiro, Susan C. Shea
Honors Theses
The purpose of this research is to study Brazil's current pacification efforts in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. Brazil has long been linked to violent crime, corruption, and increasing social inequality. It features more homicides than any other country on earth: one in ten people killed around the world each year is a Brazilian (Carvalho, 2015). However, in 2008, Rio's state government began applying a new law enforcement program to rid favelas of gangs and crime before hosting the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics. Information on the current/future tactics and strategies that Rio will incorporate into …
Perceptions Of Cold Case Work In Mississippi Law Enforcement, Lindsey Pittman
Perceptions Of Cold Case Work In Mississippi Law Enforcement, Lindsey Pittman
Honors Theses
The purpose of this study is to see whether law enforcement personnel in Mississippi believe cold case units and, specifically, analysts are beneficial and worthwhile. This study will focus primarily on whether having used the Mississippi Cold Case Unit (MCCU) has had an impact on people’s perception of analysts and analytical methods within the law enforcement community. The study was conducted through the use of an online survey using Qualtrics Research Suite (Appendix A).The responses were then analyzed using the statistical software GraphPad Prism 6. Responses showed that there is very little difference in perception of the MCCU between those …