Digital Commons Network^™

Key Library Resources: Streaming Video – Tips For A Better Faculty Streaming Experience, Raquel Estrada

Library Display Posters

AVON, KANOPY, and SWANK are our primary providers for streaming films. These relevant and complementary streaming resources allow us to provide access to a diverse set of films from documentaries to top studio films.

The Curious Tension Between Fish And Game Conservation Officers And The Fourth Amendment, Thomas White

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications and Presentations

Based on principles of federalism, states as well as the federal government address the powers and duties of fish and wildlife conservation officers (hereafter referred to generally as “conservation officers”) in a variety of ways, a significant number of which appear to have Fourth Amendment ramifications. Many states require their conservation officers to have probable cause, with or without a search warrant, to engage in search activity. Since this is the standard employed for reviewing the reasonableness of the actions of ordinary law enforcement officers, these states’ legal requirements for searching hunters and anglers do not implicate Fourth Amendment concerns. …

Examining Factors Among People With Opioid Use Disorder And Comorbid Mental Health Disorders, Tori Denae Livingston

Theses and Dissertations

Opioid use disorder (OUD) affects over two million Americans, and over 42,000 Americans perished of opioid overdoses in 2016 (Volkow et al., 2019). During the initial years of the opioid crisis, overdose deaths were primarily attributed to prescription analgesics, heroin, and synthetic opioids. However, it was illicit prescription opioid painkiller use that ranked highest in terms of fatalities (Volkow et al., 2019). The increasing prevalence of opioid use among individuals with mental health disorders is in stark contrast to the ongoing opioid crisis (Prince, 2019). Additionally, there is evidence that individuals undergoing substance use treatment and concurrently suffering from a …

Lgbtq+ Identity-Related Abuse During Childhood And Associations With Depression And Suicide Behavior: Role Of Adulthood Cisheterosexism And Expressive Suppression, Ruby Charak, Ines Cano-Gonzalez, Roman Ronzon-Tirado, Rachel M. Schmitz, Jennifer Tabler, Sidsel Karsberg, Ayleen Flores, Julian D. Ford

Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Exposure to minority stressors specific to LGBTQ+ individuals, such as heterosexism and cissexism (or cisheterosexism) is not covered under the traditional adverse childhood experiences framework. This is important because childhood identity-related abuse by a parent/caregiver can lead to mental health challenges in later life through the adoption of maladaptive coping mechanisms.

Objective: The present study aimed to examine the role of cisheterosexism and expressive suppression as serial mediators in the associations between identity-related abuse and depressive symptoms and suicide behavior.

Participants and setting: Participants included 563 LGBTQ+ identifying adults between 18 and 64 years (M = 30.02, SD = …

Latino Men’S Barriers And Obstacles Towards Treatment Seeking Attitudes, Rebecca Gonzalez

Theses and Dissertations

There is a drastic difference in the number of Latino men utilizing mental healthcare as only 24 percent of Latino men with a severe mental illness ever receive treatment. Previous research has revealed stigma and attitudes are important factors in the help seeking process, but with limited Latino participants. The current study gathered survey data from Latino male university students about their levels of stigma, attitudes towards both tele – health and in person counseling, perceived barriers and benefits, treatment history, and current levels of depression. It was revealed that in contrast to previous studies, Latino men’s social stigma is …

The Wall Between Latinas And Latinos? Gender And Immigration Enforcement Attitudes Among U.S. Latina/O Voters, Álvaro José Corral

Political Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Donald Trump’s surprising level of support among U.S. Latina/o voters in 2016 and his improved performance in the 2020 election posed a puzzle for Latina/o politics scholars given his stridently anti-immigrant agenda. Although scholars have acknowledged the political gender gap between Latinas and Latino men, few studies have outlined the theoretical basis or explored the empirical existence of gender differences in Latina/o immigration enforcement attitudes. Building on the Latina politics literature documenting Latinas’ greater engagement in solidarity work with immigrants and their greater desire for cultural transmission and the maintenance of pan-ethnic identity, I test two hypotheses. The first (the …

Student Evaluations Of Teaching Are Mostly Awfully Wrong, Noel Otu, Ntiense E. Otu

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications and Presentations

Student evaluations of teaching (SETs) have been used, researched, and debated for many decades. It is a common practice in higher education institutions, with the supposed purpose of improving course quality and effectiveness, but with unintended consequences of encouraging and motivating poor teaching and causing grade inflation. There is strong evidence that SET “effectiveness” does not measure teaching effectiveness. This paper reviews empirical research examining common concerns about the usefulness (positive and negative) and accuracy of SETs. The findings reveal that student satisfaction relates to their anticipated/expected grades in their courses; hence, they want to get good grades and their …

Differences Among Perpetrators Of Intimate Partner Violence Utilizing Proactive Versus Reactive Aggression, Gabriela Ontiveros, Arturo L. Cantos, K. Daniel O'Leary

Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

This research aimed to categorize perpetrator’s aggression as reactive or proactive regarding intimate partner violence and explore the relationship with relevant variables. Victim statements in police reports of 60 predominantly Hispanic male adult perpetrators on probation in South Texas were rated, categorizing statements as reactive or proactive. It was hypothesized that more men would display reactive aggression and it would be associated with severe violence, emotion regulation difficulties, state anger, and impulsivity. The study further suggested that emotion regulation, state anger, and impulsivity would moderate the relationship between severity of violence and reactive/proactive classification, and impulsivity would mediate the relationship …

The Latina Experiences Of Intimate Partner Violence In The Rio Grande Valley, Lucas Enrique Espinoza, Luis Enrique Espinoza, Rosalva Resendiz, Georgina Villegas-Montenegro

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications and Presentations

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a severe public health and criminal justice issue that disproportionately affects women more than men. This sought to explore Latina experiences of IPV in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV). Twelve Latina IPV survivors from the RGV, ages 24 to 40 years old, were interviewed using purposive and snowball sampling methods. Several primary themes were discovered: types of abuse; perceived reasons for the abuse; education and economic insecurity; why stay or leave an abusive relationship; the criminal justice system’s role; and self blaming. All participants (n = 12) were college educated and endured IPV victimization at …

Police Body Cameras And Liability Insurance: The Deterrent To Police Misconduct?, Noel Otu, Ben-Edet Emmanuel, Edidiong Mendie, Ihekwoba Declan Onwudiwe

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Justice in Policing Act of 2020 propose mandatory body cameras for all uniformed federal officers in the United State. Advocates of this policy insist the practice will enhance police accountability and has the potential to also reduce police misconduct. In the same vein, advocates of mandatory liability insurance for police officers argue the policy will likely deter police officers from engaging in misconduct. How effective these policies are in enhancing police accountability and reducing police misconduct remains debatable. T his paper examined the arguments for whether or not police body cameras have positively influenced police officers’ behavior based on …

Why Do The Police Reject Counseling? An Examination Of Necessary Changes To Police Subculture. Necessary Changes To Police Subculture., Noel Otu, Ntiense E. Otu

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper reviews the concept of police subculture and examines its role in the management and acceptance of treatment for stress-related injury. In particular, we examine the impact of stigma that attaches to treatment within this subculture. The persistence of the dominant police subculture remains a significant obstacle to officers seeking treatment for stress-related illnesses. The subculture has historically resisted acknowledging the need for treatment in response to the occupational and/or organizational stress-related injury that results from frequent exposure to work-related trauma. Many police administrators are still embedded within and resist changes to the subculture, which results in an atmosphere …

Intimate Partner Femicide: An Exploratory Study In The Rio Grande Valley, Zoraya Berlanga Aguilar

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore the cases of Intimate Partner Femicide Victims from the Rio Grande Valley. By developing a cohesive understanding and assistance towards fostering knowledge and promoting social justice. Given the close proximity to the border, and hearing of femicide cases from both the Rio Grande Valley and Mexico marked my interest as Intimate Partner Violence is an ongoing Public Health Issue. Intimate Partner Violence is the leading cause of Intimate Partner Femicide. First specific project to contribute to limited research on intimate partner femicide in the Rio Grande Valley. A non-probability purposive sample of …

Racial Tension, Public Mistrust, And Policing: Insights From Police Leaders In The Rio Grande Valley (Rgv)- A Research Note, Marika Dawkins-Cavazos

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper presents preliminary insights from police leaders in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), a southwestern border region of the United States. Perceptions among minority police leaders with respect to minority-police interactions have received little attention. To better understand the perceptions of minority police leaders, this study focused on whether police leaders in a predominantly Hispanic region of the country perceive that racial tensions influence police-community interactions. Using a purposive sample of 29 police leaders, preliminary results suggest that recent high-profile incidents have had some impact on how officers do their jobs. Implications for public policy and suggestions for future …

Trauma Exposure And Trauma Symptoms As Predictors Of Police Perceptions In Latinx Youths, Amanda Venta, German Cadenas, Alfonso Mercado, Luz M. Garcini, Melanie M. Domenech Rodriguez

Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Objective: The Latinx immigrant youth population composes nearly a quarter of all children in the U.S. and are a high-risk group for police encounters. Based on perceptions of Latinxs as criminals, increased enforcement actions against Latinxs in the U.S., and failures of policing and police brutality in immigrants’ home countries, we expected that immigrants who reported increased trauma exposure and symptoms would have more negative perceptions of police.

Method: This study utilized data from 107 recently immigrated Latinx youth to examine how trauma exposure (Child Trauma Screen) and symptoms (Child PTSD Symptoms Scale) related to perceptions of police (Criminal Sentiments …

The Trends And Patterns Of Crime In Ghana: The Case Of Robbery, Joseph Appiahene-Gyamfi

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications and Presentations

The study utilized the official police data that included the robbery incident addresses/spots to explore the incidence, volume, trends, and patterns of robbery in Ghana from 2014 to 2017. There were 5696 robbery cases of which the highest, 1772 cases, were recorded in 2017, and the lowest cases, 1116 recorded in 2014 reported to the police during this period. The daily average robberies were 3 cases in 2014, 4 cases each in 2015 and 2016, and 5 cases in 2017. The robbery per 100,000 of population in 2014 was 4.1 persons. In 2015, the rate was 5 persons, in 2016 …

Meta-Analysis Of Cyber Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration And Victimization: Different Types And Their Associations With Face-To-Face Ipv Among Men And Women, Ohad Gilbar, Ruby Charak, Oscar Trujillo, Jorge I. Cantu, Valeria Cavazos, Iris Lavi

Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Cyber intimate partner violence (C-IPV) is a technology-mediated form of violence. It has been examined only in the last 10 years as a form of violence that can cause psychological damage to its victims. How this phenomenon connects to and differs from face-to-face IPV (F2F-IPV) has been, as yet, little studied. Research has not made clear whether sex differences may impact its use, particularly in light of the fact that no physical coercion is used in C-IPV. Thus, the current research aimed to investigate through a meta-analysis: differences between the average levels of different types of C-IPV victimization and perpetration; …

Measuring Ethnic Diversity, Liza G. Steele, Amie Bostic, Scott M. Lynch, Lamis Abdelaaty

Sociology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Researchers have investigated the effects of ethnic heterogeneity on a range of socioeconomic and political outcomes. However, approaches to measuring ethnic diversity vary not only across fields of study but even within subfields. In this review, we systematically dissect the computational approaches of prominent measures of diversity, including polarization, and discuss where and how differences emerge in their relationships with outcomes of interest to sociologists (social capital and trust, economic growth and redistribution, conflict, and crime). There are substantial similarities across computations, which are often generalizations or specializations of one another. Differences in how racial and ethnic groupings are constructed …

Raging Hormones: Why Age-Based Etiological Conceptualizations Of The Development Of Antisocial Behavior Are Insufficient, Stuart F. White, S. Mariely Estrada Gonzalez, Eibhlis M. Moriarty

Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Developmental science, particularly developmental neuroscience, has substantially influenced the modern legal system. However, this science has typically failed to consider the role of puberty and pubertal hormones on development when considering antisocial behavior. This review describes major theoretical positions on the developmental neuroscience of antisocial behavior and highlights where basic developmental neuroscience suggests that the role of puberty and pubertal hormones should be considered. The implications of the current state of the science with respect to developmental neuroscience is considered, particularly what is known in light of development beyond puberty. This review shows that development continues to an older age …

Criminogenic Risk Factors And Mental Illness: An Examination Of The 2010 Kelly Elementary School Shooter, Brendan Liam O'Rourke, Gordon A. Crews

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications and Presentations

The purpose of this presentation is to examine school violence perpetrator Mr. Brendan Liam O'Rourke and his involvement in the Kelly Elementary School playground shooting in Carlsbad, California, on October 8, 2010.

Most people suffering from mental illness are not violent, unless they are abusing substances or their mental illness is untreated (i.e., never diagnosed or not taking their medication because they do not think they need them, thus anosognosia).

This mentally ill offender, suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, will be examined through the lens of "8 Criminogenic Risk Factors". Relying upon the work of Andrews et al., Osher …

Lessons Learned From Undocumented Latinx Immigrants: How To Build Resilience And Overcome Distress In The Face Of Adversity, Luz M. Garcini, German Cadenas, Melanie M. Domenech Rodriguez, Alfonso Mercado, Liliana Campos, Cristina Abraham, Michelle Silva, Manuel Paris

Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Living under chronic uncertainty, fear, and isolation is the experience of many undocumented immigrants particularly under the recent sociopolitical climate. Yet, despite facing chronic adversity and an uncertain future, undocumented immigrants are highly resilient. This paper draws upon the clinical and research expertise of leading Latinx psychologists working with diverse undocumented communities across the United States. Qualitative data from seven focus groups with undocumented Latinxs and 15 in-depth interviews with key informants were used to complement clinical insights to identify and highlight strategies of undocumented Latinxs that promote their resilience. Overall, six primary strategies emerged including cognitive reframing, behavioral adaptability, …

Where There's A Will There's A Way: Examining The Possible Impacts Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Incidents Of Mass Violence In The Usa, Gordon A. Crews, Garrison A. Crews, Samantha Leigh Crews

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications and Presentations

“Where there’s a will there’s a way” is a proverb that simply means if someone is determined to do something, he or she will find a way to accomplish it regardless of obstacles. Unfortunately, this is very true for those who wish to commit acts of violence wish to commit acts of violence. The purpose of this chapter is to examine the possible impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on incidents of mass and multiple victim violence in the US. More specifically, what impact did efforts such as stay-athome/shelter-in-place orders, telecommuting options for workers, school closures, cancellation of large public events, …

Grassroots Approach Of Embracing Survivors To Inform The Fight Against Human Trafficking, Christina S. Bentch, Gordon A. Crews

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications and Presentations

When human trafficking survivors work as “informants and advocates,” they keep systems trying to end this horrific crime honest and open to receiving new input. Grassroots approaches can inform many of the systems survivors pass through to improve or add to policies and procedures. Survivors can reveal new dynamics of transnational criminal networks and the development of new indicators and typologies in several systems. The systems discussed in this chapter will highlight the benefits and barriers to approaching an anti-trafficking agenda through a systems theory lens. The authors suggest ways to amend the limitations of these current systems by utilizing …

Intimate Partner Violence In The Rio Grande Valley: The Role Of Culture, Tania Diaz

Theses and Dissertations

Mexican culture along the border towns of the Rio Grande dominates views towards women and men experiencing violence in intimate relationships. However, there is a paucity of empirical studies relating to intimate partner violence in the Rio Grande Valley. This study addresses the dynamics of abusive relationship in a Hispanic community that can be influenced by cultural concepts such as familism and marianismo. The author utilized a mixed methods approach for this study that included a sample of (n = 513) surveys and (n = 13) interviews that were analyzed separately. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess …

Blue Lives Matter: Public Perception In Texas, Nohely Karyme Lozano

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, Blue Lives Matter, a pro-policing movement, was established across the United States. The movement sheds light on the attacks and killings of police officers while on the line of duty. Also, it raises awareness of the dangers and risks law enforcement agents face while on duty and off duty. Throughout the years, the movement has gained many supporters across the nation. However, it has been controversial, and many considered it as a countermovement to Black Lives Matter. To bridge the gap in the literature, the researcher investigated the perception of Texans towards the movement. Moreover, the research …

Attachment And Intimate Partner Violence In Predominantly Hispanic Young Adult Couples, Deanna Pollard

Theses and Dissertations

Some research suggests that conflicting insecure attachment needs between romantic partners exacerbate the association between insecure attachment dimensions and physical intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration in men and women. However, the current literature examining this association are not without their limitations (i.e., small sample sizes, collapsing both partners' reports together to create their IPV variables, predominantly White samples, and utilizing attachment instruments that do not assess attachment dimensions directly). The present study aimed to address some of the limitations in previous research by examining the association between partners' opposing insecure attachment dimensions and male and female-perpetrated physical IPV in a …

How Are Police Lineups Represented In Popular Crime Shows In The U.S.A? An Examination Of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Luis Fernando Chavarria

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to explore police lineups as portrayed in crime-related TV shows in the U.S.A, such as Law & Order: SUV. The data used is from 25 episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. The methodology used for this study is grounded theory and content analysis. results of the study by themes which are: DNA evidence, police lineups, and lineups used in court. From these themes codes were further highlighted and noted. Based on the episodes for the show and real-life lineup procedure practices, there were inconsistencies about clothing, physical characteristics of suspects, incorrect lineup …

Attachment, Emotion Dysregulation, And Physical Ipv In Predominantly Hispanic, Young Adult Couples, Deanna L. Pollard, Arturo L. Cantos

Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Insecure attachment has been found to be a risk factor for perpetrating physical intimate partner violence (IPV). However, this association is likely exacerbated by additional factors, such as conflicting insecure attachment in one’s partner and difficulties with overall emotion regulation and impulse control. The present study aimed to examine the associations between insecure attachment and physical IPV perpetration in male and female partners, as well as to examine whether these associations are exacerbated by involvement with a partner with opposing attachment needs and overall emotion dysregulation and impulsivity. Additionally, this study examined whether partners’ emotion dysregulation interacted to predict IPV. …

Brown Moral Panic: Racism In The Trump Era, Carlos Vasquez

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to examine the language used by news media to report Trump’s anti-immigration rhetoric against Mexican immigrants, from the beginning of his presidential campaign to the El Paso Massacre on August 3rd, 2019. The study focuses on the latest moral panic in the United States against Mexican immigrants (2015 to 2019) using qualitative methods. The research examines how Trump’s racist anti-immigration rhetoric is depicted in news media categorized as neutral. The study focuses on the Associated Press (Neutral Center), New York Times (Neutral Left) and Reuters (Neutral Right).

Media Framing, Moral Panic And Covid-19: A Comparative Analysis Of China, South Korea, And The Us., Deena Devore, Sinyong Choi, Yudu Li, Hong Lu

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications and Presentations

COVID-19 is perhaps the single most impactful event defining 2020 globally. Drawing on theory on media typology involving freedom and responsibility, media framing and moral panic theories, this paper examines media coverage on COVID-19 in three countries, China, South Korea and the United States. Data were obtained from six news outlets, Xinhua News, South China Morning Post, Chosun, Hankyoreh, CNN and Breitbart, two from each of the three countries. More than 1,000 COVID-19 related reports, spanning six days (the last day of January to June, 2020) were selected and coded based on common priming themes such as tone, the othering, …

Covid-19 Student Mental Health Check Ii, Dianna Blankenship, Irma S. Jones

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications and Presentations

The year 2020 will forever be known as the year of the COVID-19 pandemic which has affected the entire population in one way or another. What began in January 2020 still has the world population firmly in its grip a year later. The students’ responses, in their own words, to changes in living, daily `routines, and health fears can be seen in the following paper. In this article, the responses of students in several undergraduate classes at a Hispanic serving institution in south Texas were collected and synthesized. The 155 responses were divided into seven frequently observed and repeated themes: …