Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Rattus Norvegicus As A Biological Detector Of Clandestine Remains And The Use Of Ultrasonic Vocalizations As A Locating Mechanism, Gabrielle M. Johnston

Master's Theses

In investigations, locating missing persons and clandestine remains are imperative. One way that first responder and police agencies can search for the remains is by using cadaver dogs as biological detectors. Cadaver dogs are typically used due to their olfactory sensitivity and ability to detect low concentrations of volatile organic compounds produced by biological remains. Cadaver dogs are typically chosen for their stamina, agility, and olfactory sensitivity. However, what is not taken into account often is the size of the animal and the expense of maintaining and training the animal. Cadaver dogs are typically large breeds that cannot fit in …

Trace Dna Detection Using Diamond Dye: A Recovery Technique To Yield More Dna, Leah Davis

Master's Theses

This study aspires to find a new screening approach to trace DNA recovery techniques to yield a higher quantity of trace DNA from larger items of evidence. It takes the path of visualizing trace DNA on items of evidence with potential DNA so analysts can swab a more localized area rather than attempting to recover trace DNA through the general swabbing technique currently used for trace DNA recovery. The first and second parts consisted of observing trace DNA interaction with Diamond Dye on porous and non-porous surfaces.

The third part involved applying the Diamond Dye solution by spraying it onto …

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Risk Factors For Fatal Intimate Partner Violence And Domestic Violence Services Provided, Faith E. Alves

Honors Theses

The current study assessed the COVID-19 pandemic-related changes in risk factors for fatal intimate partner violence (IPV) among female victims. It additionally analyzed IPV services received before and during the pandemic. Data came from a system that most domestic violence (DV) agencies in Connecticut utilize to record their contacts with their clients, including an initial screening through a police-social service intervention. Results indicated that unemployment of the partner was significantly higher in the during-COVID group. Additionally, the delivery of criminal justice services was significantly higher in the pre-COVID group whereas delivery of law enforcement services was significantly higher in the …

Evaluating The Panoptic Deterrent Effect Of Skywatch Surveillance Towers: A Mixed Methods Analysis, Penny M. Geyer

Doctoral Works at the University of New Haven

The internalization of an all-seeing gaze is an important component of crime control, whether in the form of suitable guardians, place managers, or meticulous surveillance ceremonies. Specifically, panoptic technologies have the potential to “normalize” behaviors through visible yet unverifiable surveillance. Although marketed as a technology that deters crime, SkyWatch surveillance towers’ actual deterrent effect has never been empirically evaluated. Such an assessment is critical not only from a crime reduction perspective, but also one of cost-effectiveness as these towers cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Utilizing a sequential triangulation mixed method procedure, information from 21 semi-structured interviews was combined with …

A Social Learning Perspective On Sexual Coercion, Mallory Ferrick

Honors Theses

Akers’ (2009) social learning theory proposes that individuals learn deviant behavior through the same learning processes by which they learn conventional behavior. Social learning theory has been applied as an explanation for an array of deviant behaviors; however, no known published research has explored the theory’s ability to explain the perpetration of sexual coercion. This project investigated the extent to which Akers’ social learning theory can be applied to sexual coercion. This project utilized a sample of undergraduate students enrolled in various courses at a private four-year institution in the northeast. Descriptive statistics revealed a lack of variability among responses …

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 …

The Effects Of Family Structure Stability And Parenting Practices On Juvenile Delinquency: Variations By Immigrant Generational Status And Race/Ethnicity, Lanmeng Ma

Doctoral Works at the University of New Haven

While the important role of various psychosocial factors in the development of criminality has long been acknowledged, many researchers, criminologists and criminal justice professionals firmly believe that family is specifically at the core. The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the relationships among family structure stability, parenting practice dimensions, and concurrent/subsequent delinquent behaviors, both theoretically and empirically. This study investigates how immigrant generational status and racial/ethnic disparities modulate associations between the stability of family structure, aspects of parenting practices, and adolescent delinquency, using a nationally representative sample from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health). …

No One Is Above The Law: Public Perception Of Prosecutorial Misconduct's Influence On Wrongful Convictions, Amanda N. Pappas

Honors Theses

Wrongful convictions pose a large threat to the integrity of the United States criminal justice system. While there are many known causes of wrongful convictions, such as eyewitness misidentification, ineffective counsel, and false confessions, the most egregious cause is prosecutorial misconduct. According to the National Registry of Exonerations, prosecutorial misconduct has been found in roughly half of the exonerations listed in the registry. Prosecutors have a tremendous amount of power in the criminal justice system through determining plea deals, obtainment of evidence, disclosure of evidence to the defense, and many more. Studies have been conducted that reveal the occurrence of …

Race And Social Class As Factors Associated With Sentence Disparities: A Survey Of Potential Jurors, Amanda Rickett

Honors Theses

Prior research has found that bias, along with other extralegal factors, leads to the sentencing disparities in the criminal justice system throughout the United States. The criminal justice system has implemented reforms to address these disparities. Furthering research on this issue, I analyze previous studies that tried to determine the effects of bias on the decisions made by judges and juries. Most importantly, the present study aimed to determine the effects of race and socioeconomic class of the defendant on the decisions on potential jurors using a vignette based survey with randomized assignment. The results suggest that the potential jurors’ …

Estimating The Psychological Impact Of Mass Shooting And Terrorist Attacks On Remote Populations, Joseph W. Dule

Doctoral Works at the University of New Haven

Most research examining the psychological impact of public mass-shootings and terrorist attacks focuses on the immediate victims (i.e., those at/near the scene of the crime or living nearby). Research consistently demonstrates that these directly targeted individuals experience a wide-array of adverse mental health outcomes following these traumatic events (Lowe & Galea, 2017; Wilson, 2014). What remains less understood, however, is how these violent episodes afflict the broader public who are exposed to the trauma largely through indirect means, such as media and word of mouth. While prior scholarship in this area remains quite limited, it also tends to suffer from …

Impact Of Denial Of Sexual Offenses On Sentencing And Treatment Strategies, Jenna Luallen

Honors Theses

The prevalence of sexual offenses calls for a reevaluation of how the system treats offenders and addresses indicators of risk. How an individual convicted of a sexual offense accepts or denies the assault can weigh heavily on the sanctions imposed upon them, and how the system processes the offender. Acceptance of guilt is an important goal in offender treatment programs, and denial is reportedly used as an indicator of high risk of recidivism. Deeper examination into how individuals who deny their offense are understood and processed throughout treatment aids in the identification of best practices for working with sex offender …

Delinquency In The Caribbean: Stakeholder Perceptions Of Root Causes, Laura Nolterieke

Honors Theses

There is a gap in the research on juvenile delinquency within the Caribbean context. As countries such as St. Lucia, Guyana, St. Kitts, and Nevis have growing delinquency and crime rates, there is a need to bridge this gap in the literature. This research sought to examine the main causes of juvenile delinquency within St. Lucia, Guyana, St. Kitts, and Nevis, as described by juvenile justice stakeholders, such as probation officers, prosecutors, and judges, within their respective countries. Through the use of grounded theory, the data were coded and analyzed using a constant comparison method. From these data, six themes …

How Gun Control Laws Affect Homicide, Abbey Maloney

Honors Theses

Homicide is an ever-prevalent problem in the United States (U.S.). One solution that is often turned to is the implementation of stricter gun control laws. This causes much divide as many citizens are not in agreement about whether or not these laws do what they are intended to. The aim of this study was to determine whether or not gun control laws have an effect on homicide, and, if so, what this effect is. The U.S. states were evaluated in several different categories to determine how strict or lax their gun laws were. They were scored using the number of …

Impact Of High Profile Police Use Of Force Incidents On Violent Crime Rates, Megan Galante

Honors Theses

This research study examined the relationship between high-profile police use of force incidents and local violent crime rates. It is important to analyze the impact that police use of force has on the respective community in regard to crime rates. This study analyzed three incidents of police use of force that have received extensive coverage in the media in order to determine if there was a change in the rates of violent crime in that city. The theory of de-policing suggests that in the aftermath of a high-profile incident of police brutality, police departments in the area change their behaviors …

Reconciliation Potential Of Rwandans Convicted Of Genocide, Kevin Barnes-Ceeney, Laurie Leitch, Lior Gideon

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

This study examines the reconciliation potential of Rwandans incarcerated for the crime of genocide. Utilising survey data from 302 male and female prisoners incar‐ cerated in the Rwandan Correctional System, this study explores genocide perpe‐ trators’ depression, anxiety, anger-hostility and somatic symptoms, levels of post‐ traumatic stress, degree of social support and attitudes towards unity and reconci‐ liation. The data demonstrate that engaging in killing can have deep psychological impacts for genocide perpetrators. The data indicate that although more than two decades have passed since the genocide, perpetrators are experiencing high levels of genocide-related posttraumatic suffering. Perpetrators are persistently re-experi‐ …

The "Great American Crime Decline": Possible Explanations, Maria Tcherni-Buzzeo

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

This chapter examines the most important features of the crime decline in the United States during the 1990s-2010s but also takes a broader look at the violence declines of the last three centuries. The author argues that violent and property crime trends might have diverged in the 1990s, with property crimes increasingly happening in the online sphere and thus traditional property crime statistics not being reflective of the full picture. An important distinction is made between ‘contact crimes’ and crimes that do not require a victim and offender to be present in the same physical space. Contrary to the uncertainties …

Mapping Sex Offenders And Treatment Centers In Relation To Social Disorganization, Amber Amin

Master's Theses

Research shows that the clustering of Registered Sex Offenders (RSOs) is connected to social disorganization. Residential patterns disrupt the reintegration of the RSO population. Utilizing data from Queens and the Bronx, NYC, this study examines RSO clustering in the two boroughs and explores the proximity of community resources to RSO addresses that may assist reintegration. Using data from the New York Megan’s Law and census data for Queens and Bronx Counties, maps were created to study the residential patterns of RSOs. The results show clustering of RSOs in areas with variables pertaining to high social disorganization and a lack of …

Recovery After Genocide: Understanding The Dimensions Of Recovery Capital Among Incarcerated Genocide Perpetrators In Rwanda, Kevin Barnes-Ceeney, Lior Gideon, Laurie Leitch, Kento Yasuhara

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Utilizing survey data from 302 men and women incarcerated in the Rwandan correctional system for the crime of genocide, and structured interviews with 75 prisoners, this mixed methods study draws on the concept of recovery capital to understand how individuals convicted of genocide navigate post-genocide healing. Genocide smashes physical and human capital and perverts social and cultural capital. Experiencing high levels of posttraumatic stress symptoms with more than two-thirds of the sample scoring above typical civilian cut-off levels, raised levels of depression, and high levels of anxiety, and failing physical health, the genocide perpetrators require multiple sources of recovery capital …

Evaluating Project Safe Neighborhoods In Connecticut: A Youth Opportunity Initiative, Sara A. Jeffries, David Myers, Jonathan A. Kringen, Ron Schack

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Despite containing numerous wealthy geographic areas, the state of Connecticut continues to struggle with social and economic distress, along with gun-related crime. Problem analysis in urban areas revealed a critical need for services aimed at deterring violent and gun-related crime in two target populations: serious juvenile offenders, aged 14–17 years, and at-risk youth, aged 11–13 years. Using a quasi-experimental design, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) on youth in two cities in Connecticut. Implementation resulted in 133 young people receiving a variety of services in New Haven and Bridgeport. Evaluation research assessed intervention efforts …

Key Factors To Promote Successful Comprehensive Reentry Initiatives, Jeff Mellow, Kevin Barnes-Ceeney

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

From page 22: "In this article we describe key features of CRIs, their goals, and critical implementation indicators identified from the literature and experience that must be considered to ensure the short- and long-term success of high-quality multifaceted reentry initiatives. The factors will provide a roadmap to policy makers, program and initiative developers, and practitioners when they consider the time, resources, and engagement levels to successfully implement a new reentry initiative."

Understanding Shoplifting Of Fast-Moving Consumer Goods: An Application Of The Craved Model, Brian T. Smith

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

This study examines the variation in theft of shoplifted fast-moving consumer goods. Typically, shoplifting is estimated using shrinkage—a composite of several causes of lost retail merchandise. This study, however, benefits from access to a retailer’s database, in which extraordinary steps are taken to identify and record losses due to shoplifting only. This study is unique because of the more valid measure of shoplifting. A 1-year cross-sectional sample of 7468 products, sold in 204 U.S. chain supermarkets, was drawn from the retailer’s specialized database. Using Clarke’s (Hot products: understanding, anticipating, and reducing demand for stolen goods. Policing and Reducing Crime Unit, …

Reasons For Gaps In Crime Reporting: The Case Of White-Collar Criminals Investigated By Private Fraud Examiners In Norway, Petter Gottschalk, Maria Tcherni-Buzzeo

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

A private investigation is an examination of facts, sequence of events, causes for deviance, and responsibilities for negative incidents. Recent years have seen an increasing use of private internal investigations in terms of the assessment of financial irregularities. The form of inquiry aims to uncover vulnerabilities to unrestricted opportunities, failing internal controls, abuse of position, and any financial misconduct such as corruption, fraud, embezzlement, theft, manipulation, tax evasion and other forms of economic crime. When fraud examiners discover evidence of white-collar crime, they almost always leave it to their clients to decide whether or not to report crime to the …

Attributes Of Police Vehicle Crashes, David Lambert

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

While overall on-duty law enforcement deaths has decreased moderately from over 160 in 1980 to a level under 120 per year in the late 2000s, fatalities by motor vehicle collisions have steadily increased. This descriptive analysis examines police vehicle crashes during specific conditions such as emergency response, road surface, lighting, and weather in a large statewide police agency. Police vehicle crashes are most likely to occur on dry roads, in daylight conditions, and in clear weather on weekdays as opposed to weekends. Weather and lighting conditions are not the most frequent factors associated with cruiser crashes in this examination.

Juvenile Transfer To Adult Court: Ongoing Search For Scientific Support, David Myers

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

(From p. 3) The basic question addressed in this body of research is as follows: Does transferring juvenile offenders to the adult criminal justice system produce a specific deterrent, criminogenic, or null effect? Unfortunately, despite two decades of research and the meta-analytic techniques employed in this study, a definitive answer to this question remains unclear. Nevertheless, when the results of this meta-analysis are considered along with findings from other relevant research conducted during the past 20 years, it seems clear that the practice of treating juveniles as adults should be limited to the most serious, violent, and chronic offenders, who …

Assessing The Relevance Of Statistics And Crime Analysis Courses For Working Crime Analysts, Jonathan A. Kringen, Christopher M. Sedelmaier, Elink-Schuurman-Laura

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Crime analysts study criminal activity and police function to improve performance. Analysts inform operations, aid resource allocation, and evaluate programs. These tasks require high levels of statistical literacy. Given that most analysts are college-educated civilians, college coursework in statistics and/or crime analysis may represent the foundational knowledgebase within the profession. However, little research has attempted to determine if coursework teaches the skills needed by analysts. Underlying this issue is a limited understanding about what technical skills crime analysts regularly use. Analyzing parallel surveys of 98 criminal justice educators and 146 crime analysts, this study compares the skills taught in undergraduate-level …

The Cost Of War: Weighing Civilian Losses In The Afghan War, Jibey Asthappan

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Spending almost US $700 billion to combat insurgents in Afghanistan, the U.S. population should be hopeful that they “bought” something of value as the Afghan War concludes. This exploratory study focuses on evaluating operations within Afghanistan by accounting for enemy and civilian losses. Integration of civilian losses offers an opportunity to evaluate operations that represent societal losses to the Afghan people. Regression estimates using zero-inflated negative-binomial models indicate that military operations resulted in more civilian casualties than enemy losses.

The Dark Figure Of Online Property Crime: Is Cyberspace Hiding A Crime Wave?, Maria Tcherni-Buzzeo, Andrew Davis, Giza Lopes, Alan Lizotte

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

A pronounced drop in crime, since the early 1990s, has encompassed every crime category tracked by the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports, including property crime. However, over the same period, the rates of online property crime (OPC) have been on the rise according to available evidence. We delineate the extent of our knowledge and data concerning cybercrime and identity theft and, using data from several nationally representative victimization surveys, offer an alternative view of property crime trends while pointing out the glaring gap in crime reporting and accounting in relation to the growing category of property crimes perpetrated online. In addition, …

Transnational Criminal Organizations (Tcos): The Case Of Combating Criminal Biker Gangs, Petter Gottschalk, Vesna Markovic

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Transnational crime organizations (TCOs) represent a challenge to societies all over the world. This article explores combating criminal biker gangs, where stakeholders in the community and governments vary in their responses. These stakeholders include the government, law enforcers, courts, and the communities. The variation in responses is conceptualized in terms of a four stage of growth model. This model includes criminal biker gang members being treated as movie stars, individual criminals, organized criminals, and finally, enemies of the state. A stage model is a theoretical approach to understanding different levels of maturity in combating criminal biker gangs. Due to the …

Emerging Cultural Conflicts In Italy: A Challenge For Criminal Law, Raffaele Muzzica, Tracy Tamborra, Giuseppe Amarelli

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Because of recent and rapid increases in immigration rates, Italy has been confronted with new forms of cultural conflicts. Cultural conflicts have resulted in cultural offenses; these are acts committed and promoted by people belonging to a minority culture that are considered to be offenses by the majority controlled legal system. In addition to defining cultural offenses and presenting defenses that are presented when cultural offenses are tried, this paper highlights pros, cons and potential pitfalls of considering culture under Italian law. Finally, suggestions to improve legal considerations of cultural diversity in Italy are presented; specifically the creation of laws …

Administering A Victim Impact Curriculum To Inmates: A Multi-Site Replication, Christopher M. Sedelmaier, Mario Thomas Gaboury

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

While restorative justice has been the topic of much research, a specific type of program included in restorative justice, Impact of Crime on Victims programs, has not been widely studied or assessed for effectiveness. This study examines Impact of Crime (IOC) on Victims Curriculum Development Programs. Offenders from programs in California, Ohio, Tennessee, and Virginia were participants in this research. A four state evaluation methodology was developed in order to assess the effectiveness of these programs in educating offenders about victims’ right and victim facts, as well as increasing their sensitivity to victims’ difficulties. The findings in this evaluation lend …