Digital Commons Network^™

Adaptations To Autism In The Criminal Justice System: A Collection Of New Policies And Procedures Across The Nation, Alexis Detuzzi

Academic Festival

An overview of the different needs that persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder pose when coming into contact with law enforcement and going through the judicial process; how the United States has adjusted so far.

Disparities In Access To Autism Spectrum Disorder Services Across Communities, Mackenzie Bauman

Academic Festival

No abstract provided.

Internship Reflection, Connie Herrera

Academic Festival

No abstract provided.

Jail Reform: An Examination Of United States Justice System, Dominick Scardigno

Academic Festival

1 in 100. Those are the approximate odds of a U.S. citizen being incarcerated during their lifetime. This statistic alone is enough to prompt discussion regarding the efficiency of the United States criminal justice System. According to the National Institute of justice, an estimated 44% people that have been arrested in the United States are arrested again within the span of a single year and 77% are arrested again within 5 years. These statistics provoke conversations on a global level as to what the actual goals of a criminal justice system should be. It seems nearly impossible to declare an …

Child Maltreatment & Juvenile Delinquents, Victoria Demercurio

Academic Festival

The poster addresses the presence of child maltreatment in juvenile delinquents. It covers four types of maltreatment including neglect, physical abuse, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse. It offers statistics regarding the commonality of each type of maltreatment and the overall existence of child maltreatment in juvenile delinquents and prison inmates.

Reasons For Abolishing The Death Penalty, Ashley Brosnan

Academic Festival

When it comes to the death penalty, I decided to delve into the issue and make my mind up for myself to see where I stand. After much investigation, I have seen why the death penalty should not be in place. This is not to say I do not understand the other side of the argument, I simply feel the negatives of the penalty outweigh the positives. Capital punishment is not only discriminatory and costly, but also morally wrong. It impedes on the most basic human right to life. It is a cruel and unusual punishment and costs more than …

The Impact Of Brief Animal Assisted Therapy Dog Interactions On College Student Stress And Self-Efficacy Levels, Paige Kutka, Victoria Vaillancourt, Julian Percoco, Savannah Giordano

Academic Festival

The aim of the current study was to examine the potential benefits of dog therapy programs on student stress levels on a college campus. While these programs have become increasingly popular there is little evidence on the effectiveness of animal centered activities. We compared the differences on three types of assessments related to stress levels (e.g., Self-Efficacy Scale, Perceived Stress Scale and relative changes in stress hormone levels (cortisol)) for college students before and after interacting with therapy dogs for 10 minutes. Saliva samples were collected using Salimetrics’ Salivabio Oral Swab (SOS) method from student participants 15 minutes after arrival …

A Comparative Analysis Of The United States' Prison System, Samantha Barone

Academic Festival

The prison systems of the United States, Norway, and Germany all employ different approaches, ranging from rehabilitation-focused to punishment-focused. The United States has a more punishment focused approach and has the highest incarceration rate in the world. Norway and Germany employ approaches that are more rooted in rehabilitation and work to help reintegrate inmates back into society. It would be beneficial for the United States to employ a more rehabilitative approach, in order to improve prisoner welfare and the economy.

Legislating Cybercrime: Why Stronger Legislation Is Required Considering The Psychology Of Computer Users, Danielle Leblanc

Academic Festival

One of the most neglected fields of modern day crime in terms of legislation is that of cybercrime, which has been expanding in both popularity and capability in recent years. Currently, cybercrime is prosecuted using pre-existing legislation, however there are a multitude of factors that differentiate cybercrime as a distinct subsect of crime. These differences include the uniquely developed psychology of computer users, the primarily independent financial motivation of the crimes, and the lack of specific legislation regarding cybercrime. Even though writing new legislation may not appear to be an incredibly challenging feat, a negative public opinion, the technological understanding …

The Allure And Effects Of The True Crime Genre, Geralyn Jones

Academic Festival

The True Crime genre is a booming industry with new series, films, and documentaries to watch all the time. This paper takes a deeper look into the reasons that people are drawn to the genre. However, even though it is a great source of entertainment, the media’s use of drama and advertising techniques causes people to have a warped sense of the criminal justice system and lose touch with the reality of these cases. In that respect this paper also examines the effects that the dramatization of these events has on the viewers.

Capital Punishment: The Ethics, Griffin Scrivo

Academic Festival

This project will examine the evolution of the death penalty throughout history and discuss the legal and moral implications of this thought-provoking topic. The death penalty can be traced back to the beginning of written history and still exists today. While much can be written on this topic, this project will generally trace the history of the death penalty and specifically address discrepancies that exist in our world today regarding capital punishment, and suggested improvements to be implemented through legislation in the United States. In addition, any discussion of the death penalty must include the ethical and moral issues presented …

The Racial Impact Of Covid-19 On Asian Americans' Mental Health, Chenchen Cui

Academic Festival

The emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), took the world by surprise with its alarming rate of spread and devastating consequences. During the COVID-19 pandemic, people faced serious challenges, including the deteriorating health of infected loved ones, economic struggles, and political and social unrest. The origin of the first reported cases of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, coupled with racial references to the virus as the “Chinese virus” or “Kung Flu,” fueled the rise of anti-Asian sentiment and xenophobia in the United States. Anger, fear, and social media influence have …

The Deconstruction Of The School-To-Prison Pipeline, Emmalyn Walenda

Academic Festival

The school-to-prison pipeline has become a prominent social phenomenon in U.S. school systems. Students of all ages are being forced out of educational facilities by the schools’ regulations and rules. The juvenile justice system continues to see school-age children walk through their doors, as “exclusionary disciplinary systems in schools disrupt children’s education and increase the likelihood that affected students will end up in the criminal justice system” (Potera, 2021, p. 16).

Horticultural Therapy In Prison Populations, Abigail Larson

Academic Festival

Horticultural therapy (HT) is best defined as the use of plants and plant-based activities with a goal of rehabilitation and healing oneself (Rutgers, n.d.). While the benefits have been known for decades through research with war veterans and elderly people in nursing homes, recent studies have been exploring the assets it can provide for prison populations. Prisons in the US are notorious for their bad conditions, including shortages of mental health treatment, high costs, and lack of access to fresh fruits and vegetables for the inmates. If such a thing exists that can provide a solution for all of these …

The Role Of Structural Racism In Defining The Treatment Of Minorities, Especially Black Americans, As Physicians And Patients In Healthcare, Anna Klein

Academic Festival

Although there are policies in place to combat racial discrimination in healthcare, these measures are not enough as structural racism has deep roots in the medical field leading to disparities in access, large gaps in infant and maternal mortality rate, treatment of physicians, and implicit biases still present that allow for this unacceptable mistreatment.

The United Nations And Its Interests: Dollars Or Humanitarianism?, Gabriela Dos Santos

Academic Festival

The general purpose of the United Nation is well known: To preserve world peace and avoid influential nations to engage in acts of war. However, many aspects of the United Nations, in special, its funding, can be seen through a different set of lenses.

By heavily relying on 34% of its funding on nations such as the United States and China, the United Nations finds itself more often than not, in an uncomfortable position where it has to choose whether to listen to its greatest donors or to advocate for humanitarianism, world peace, and amongst other goals stated in its …

Solitary Confinement In The United States Of America, Jeremy Miller

Academic Festival

Solitary confinement is a form of punishment that is used for violent and disorderly inmates in The United States Corrections system. This practice has been deemed illegal and has been outlawed in many countries and even within some states within the United States. The long term psychological and physical effects caused by extended periods of isolation is not only dangerous for the prisoners, but also for the rest of society. After an inmate enters solitary confinement they are forever changed for the worse and recovery is near-impossible. The United States needs to find a better solution for unruly prisoners than …

Racism's Effect On Healthcare And Health Outcomes, Julianne D'Amico

Academic Festival

Racism is defined as a system of advantage based on race. African Americans are more likely to live sicker and to die sooner. This research paper will aim to look at how the social determinants of health, provider bias, and medical mistrust impact the health outcomes of African Americans in the United States. It will also look at how the recent COVID-19 pandemic has exposed these inequalities for everyone in the United States to see. It will also analyze some of the solutions to help eradicate the problem.

The Threat That The Prison Industrial System Poses To The Health And Safety Of Prisoners And Underprivileged Communities Throughout The United States, Farren Fuquea

Academic Festival

The United States has the highest per capita prison population in the world, with over six hundred and fifty-five prisoners per one hundred thousand of the national population (Ahmed, 2019). Not only does the United States have the highest per capita prison population in the world, it also has the highest prison population in the world with over 2.12 million incarcerated as of 2019 (Ahmed, 2019). In order to keep control over the ever-growing prison population, the government turned towards private prison contracts in order to subsidize some of the federal prison budget (Mason, 2012). This for-profit prison system can …

Constitutional Dilemma: The Undermining Of The Criminal Justice System By News Media, Mari Fay

Academic Festival

Constitutional Dilemma: The Undermining of the Criminal Justice System by News Media

The unbridled usage of the First Amendment by news outlets has resulted in a clash with the Sixth Amendment in the criminal justice system. Media outlets only release a small portion of the information regarding cases leaving its audience with a false sense of understanding of the crime committed. News stations have employed the concept of psychological priming on the public so that the curated details about cases lead them to the conclusion that the supposed suspect must be guilty (Golob, 2017). The natural human desire to have …

How The History Of Law Enforcement Can Help Guide The Future Of Community Policing, Matteo Menta

Academic Festival

In the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd, the attitude of the United States and its citizens towards police brutality has changed in many significant and notable ways. This paper serves not only as a representation of the history of policing and police brutality, but a commentary on the power of police unions and the purpose and necessity of community policing in a post-George Floyd America.

Mexican Narcotrafficking And Its Effects, Nicholas Molden

Academic Festival

Over the course of the last century, drug trafficking throughout Latin America has led to the rise of very wealthy, influential, and ruthless criminal organizations. The organizations operate much like legal corporations and even cooperate with international associates. The power provided by drug trafficking has allowed these criminal entities to infiltrate all forms of industries and even governments. In order to secure their power and protect trafficking routes from rivals, violence between these cartels breaks out regularly. While drug trafficking is rampant throughout a large portion of Latin America, Mexico’s size and proximity to the United States’ border makes it …

Will The Peace Plan Bring Peace To Afghanistan? A Look At The History Of Nation And State Building In Afghanistan By The United States And Review Of The 2020 Afghanistan Peace Plan, Kenneth Mcdougal

Academic Festival

How have the polices of counter-terrorism and nation building by the United States impacted the nation of Afghanistan? Were the objectives completed and did American foreign policy decisions foster sustainable peace within the region? In this case study of Afghanistan, the roll of the United States in the Soviet Resistance, the global war on terror, attempts at nation building, and the quest for peace will be discussed. Operation Enduring Freedom focused on combating Al-Qaeda and Taliban regime within Afghanistan, but soon evolved into something much more complex. Through reviewing the objectives and actions of United States’ foreign policy makers, research …

Is Restorative Justice Possible In The United States?, Alexandra Myers

Academic Festival

America is regarded as a guide for many aspects of society. One major area that we, as a country, have failed at is our prison system. Not only does America bear the title of having the highest incarceration rate in the world, but we also have a recidivism rate that demonstrates the ineffectiveness of our system. Recidivism refers to the reincarceration of a criminal. Our current ideology surrounding the purpose of prison is to punish someone for an act they have committed against society and themselves. Other countries have a vastly different philosophy regarding the purpose of prison, more commonly …

The Impact On The O.J. Simpson Verdict, Danielle Grenon

Academic Festival

Media, although a popular tool in our day in age, used to provide the world with information, can have a positive effect by informing those with facts, or a negative effect due to the spread of exaggerated and irrelevant news. The coverage of the media lured the world to stop in time and watch the O.J. Simpson case unravel. The presence of live recordings added pressure to those in the courtroom and made them do unspeakable things to get people on their side. The media allowed the prosecutors and the defendants to directly and indirectly sabotage each other. Particulars would …

Closing The Revolving Door: Mental Illness Within The Criminal Justice System, Kylee Harvey

Academic Festival

Individuals with mental illnesses are overrepresented in the United States’ criminal justice system. Consequently, this overrepresentation creates problems for the correctional system that translates into problems within society as well. The environment of the correctional system, in which treatment and rehabilitation are not a high priority, is not suitable for the mentally ill and creates further complications for such individuals. Lack of community-based support for the mentally ill as a result of deinstitutionalization commonly leads to a repeated cycle of incarceration, release, and rearrest often referred to as the “revolving door” phenomenon. Jail diversion strategies, which seek to divert the …

The Nature And Future Of The Hong Kong Protests Of 2019, Kenneth Mcdougal

Academic Festival

An analysis of the Economic and Political History of Hong Kong: Resulting in the Social Political Movements of 2019.

Euthanasia, Sabrina Didiano

Academic Festival

This paper talk discusses several factors of Euthanasia. First, the definition of euthanasia and the different types of euthanasia will be addressed. Next, the term "terminally ill" will be defined and explained. Then, I will touch on the psychological aspect of euthanasia, as it is a big part of this process. There was a widespread use of euthanasia in both Belgium and the Netherlands which was included and discussed in this paper. Two other aspects of euthanasia are the ethical and legal role. Furthermore, I will be discussing if it is ethical and the legality of the process. Lastly, I …

The Evolution Of The Criminal Justice System Through Dna Sequencing, Ashley Driscoll

Academic Festival

Deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA stores all of the genetic information that is unique to each individual. Scientists have long since discovered DNA, however without the proper technology it has been of little use in forensic analysis. In 1970 the first method of DNA sequencing had been developed which had great promise amongst many fields including biology, psychology, and even forensics. Specifically, with respect to the criminal justice system investigators now had the ability to accurately convict guilty criminals as well as to exonerate those who have been wrongfully convicted. Although DNA sequencing is very commonly used across many different disciplines, …

Immigration: How The Media Influences Your Perception, Leela Gallucci

Academic Festival

This paper discusses how various forms of media have a direct effect on how we perceive immigrants in our society. Through technology, the news, film, and television, we get a plethora of misconceptions regarding the views of immigration. It is important to understand how the media works to influence our knowledge of the information that we receive from these sources.