Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring Military Service As An Alternative Sanction: Evidence From Inmates' Perspectives, Travis Wade Milburn

Online Theses and Dissertations

A large body of research exists that examines the punitiveness of prison compared to a wide variety of alternative sanctions. Generally, this research finds that there are numerous demographic and contextual differences in the way that people experience the punitiveness of prison. In this paper, I expand that research by using data from over 900 inmates to examine whether they view military service as more punitive than incarceration.

The research suggests females, Blacks, and those who have not had prior military service are more likely to desire imprisonment as opposed to military service. However, Whites and veterans appear to embrace …

Forgotten Victims: A Qualitative Study Of Familial And Intimate Partner Abuse Of Male-To-Female Transgender Individuals In Central Kentucky, Allison Brooke Willingham

Online Theses and Dissertations

Previous research on intimate partner and familial abuse has focused on easily identifiable social institutions, such as "homosexual couple" or "mother/daughter." However, transgender individuals do not always fit into the binary social definitions ascribed to family relationships. Little research has provided insight into cycles of familial and intimate partner verbal or physical abuse in the lives of transgender individuals. The efforts that have been made have shocking results and demonstrate a need for further and more in-depth research. The primary purpose of this research is to gain a rich understanding of the social dynamics affecting the lives of transgender individuals …

The Phenomenon Of Identity Theft, Hollie Reni Freeman

Online Theses and Dissertations

This research is a descriptive study of the prevalence of Identity Theft in the Commonwealth of Kentucky from 2004 to 2009 and the procedures used by the Kentucky State Police to deal with this crime. The data for this study is a combination of violation code use retrieved from Kentucky's Open Portal Solution (KYOPS) and complaint and case data retrieved from Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD). By gathering data from each of the 16 posts across the state of Kentucky, an evaluation of the prevalence of the crime of Identity Theft yields conclusive results. KYOPS Violation Code data showed a progressive …

Factors In Juvenile Court Dispositions: Case Study Of A Rural Juvenile Court, Kevin Lee Kirk

Online Theses and Dissertations

The primary question of importance in this current study is what factors affect judges' dispositional rulings in a small rural Central Kentucky county. In order to evaluate these factors, this study involved a two stage process. The quantitative data were gathered from 120 Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) files dating back to 1999 that were processed through the study site small county court. The qualitative data were gathered through a series of structured interviews with court personnel. This current study provides descriptive statistics of the study cases that have been adjudicated delinquent with respect to their legal and extralegal characteristics, …

Transnational Crime In A Global Community: The Case Of West Africa, Holly Joanna Sims

Online Theses and Dissertations

This research project is an examination of the organization and behavior of criminal group activity in the region of West Africa. An assessment of the size, structure, and type of criminal enterprises crime groups are involved in are investigated. It is also uncovered if and how groups make use of corruption, the legit economy, and influence politicians. The environment in which transnational crime is able to thrive is also of great interest as the social, political, economic, and technological changes that occurred alongside the sudden trend in transnational crime activity are considered. The information is used to generate a discussion …

Supermax Confinement: A Descriptive And Theoretical Inquiry, Marisa M. Baumgardner

Online Theses and Dissertations

In the past few decades, there has been a proliferation of supermax prisons and units across the nation, reflecting the increased use of administrative, isolated segregation. This proliferation is embedded within a broader shift in society towards more punitive measures of disciplining those people convicted of criminal offenses. The primary purpose of this thesis is to examine the proliferation of supermax confinement as a major component of the punitive shift. This is done primarily through the application of contemporary literature that focuses on the sociology of punishment theory. Another purpose of this thesis was to examine and describe the history …

Sexting As Moral Panic: An Exploratory Study Into The Media's Construction Of Sexting, Brandon Scott Marker

Online Theses and Dissertations

This paper presents a study of sexting as a socially constructed moral panic. Central to a social construction of moral panic perspective is the role the media plays in creating the panic. The purpose of this exploratory study was to make sense of the phenomenon of sexting by analyzing media reports for indication that sexting was constructed by the media as a moral panic. A content analysis was conducted on media reports for three concepts: Theme Setting, Sensational Stories, and Policy Changes. I conclude that sexting is constructed as a moral panic by the media.

Little Brother Is Watching And Recording You: Social Control In A Deviant Group, Joshua Wayne Roberts

Online Theses and Dissertations

Since the 1950s social control has mostly been explained from the counteraction of deviance perspective. In this research I examine social control in a broader context, what I call social control as the furtherance of action perspective. In order to accomplish this, I conducted a digital ethnography with a group engaged in deviant behavior. The group has no formal name, but individuals are known by the deviant act they engage in. The act is referred to as "capping", but is best explained as individuals or a group of individuals making screen recordings of live web cam feeds from websites designed …

Zapped: A Typology Of Use And Misuse Of The Taser, Lindsey L. Upton

Online Theses and Dissertations

Police use of TASER force is currently a hot topic of controversy in the intersections of society and the criminal justice system. Proponents, including manufacturers and law enforcement, value the TASER as a less than lethal alternative to deadly force; providing increased safety for officers as an aid to maintain distance between potentially threatening suspect(s) and officer(s) while preserving the life and well being of suspects in such encounters. Civil and human rights advocacies argue the TASER to be associated with many deaths, serious injury and abuse of power by law enforcement. Those who lean more toward the opposition of …

An Exploration Of The Calls Received By The Kentucky Council On Problem Gambling Help Hotline, Carleigh Jones

Online Theses and Dissertations

Studies that focus on crisis hotlines are abundant, however very few deal with the subject of gambling. The literature reviewed examines gambling as an addiction and the general existence of hotlines. This study examines the use of the hotline provided by the Kentucky Council on Problem Gambling (KYCPG) in a dichotomous breakdown of gender. There are some significant differences between males and females, particularly regarding criminal behavior in the effort to recoup gambling losses or to continue gambling. An additional breakdown of seasonal and regional call logs further analyzes the use of the KYCPG hotline.

A Call To Arms: The Militarization Of Natural Disasters In The United States, Ashley Katherine Farmer

Online Theses and Dissertations

Natural disasters are an expected and uncontrolled part of history, and will continue and possibly worsen in the future. The humanitarian focus that has characterized disaster response throughout the years is changing, as is the way the federal government responds to large-scale natural disasters. In recent years, the primary concern in responding to these catastrophes has shifted from the well-being of citizens to the security and safety of the area impacted. Security and crime have become a main focus, with the military increasingly gaining a more prominent role in relief efforts. This thesis will provide evidence that the militarization of …

Commitment Beyond Morality: American Complicity In The Massacre At El Mozote, El Salvador, 1981, Dustin Hill

Online Theses and Dissertations

In order to highlight the complicity of the American government, this thesis will discuss in depth the most important massacre perpetrated by the Salvadoran military. While the American government maintained publicly that respect for human rights was one of the main goals of its mission in El Salvador, the six billion dollars of aid and American actions in the region belied another reality. This examination argues that it is clear that the massacre at El Mozote in late 1981 was the direct result of U.S. foreign policy initiatives. Although the Americans kept themselves insulated to provide for plausible deniability, the …

Prison Blockbusters: Relationships Between Prison Cinema And Student Perceptions, Jeremy Scott Mcqueen

Online Theses and Dissertations

This study examined college students' perceptions, as they relate to prison cinema. It also discussed and analyzed reoccurring themes in prison cinema that perpetuates the prison culture in the United States. Specifically, this research addressed the following research question: How is exposure to prison cinema related to student perceptions of prisons, prisoners, and prison staff? By asking this question and analyzing the responses given by students, this study hopes to contribute to improved understanding of how popular cinema shapes the perceptions of prison culture in the United States.

The researcher utilized both quantitative and qualitative methods in gathering research data …

An Integrated Approach To The Role Of Control In Child Maltreatment And Delinquency, Heather Page Kinnett

Online Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to integrate the labeling perspective and social support perspective into the central causal process of Charles Tittle's control balance theory. This will explain the linkages between child maltreatment and delinquency. The child maltreatment experience and the consequent label of victim affect a youth's self concept which in turn affects how a provoking event will be interpreted. The child maltreatment experience lessens the amount of control imbalance necessary for a provoking event to be interpreted as humiliating. The victim label also affects motivation for deviance indirectly through its effects on the control ratio and opportunity …